A Spark Of Good
by The Mouse Avenger
Summary: Finished at last! Before Alex DeLarge became evil, there was light in his life. But a series of tragic events would quickly change everything, & warp his soul forever...Read & review, please!
1. Little Girl Lost

**A SPARK OF GOOD**

AUTHOR'S NOTES: All "Clockwork Orange" characters are property of Anthony Burgess, except for Angela, who belongs to me. I give many thanks to my dear friend Diane N. Tran for providing her ideas for this fanfic, which would not have been possible without her kind assistance.

Enjoy the story. I welcome all reviews, so long as they're not flames.

* * *

Chapter 1:

Little Girl Lost

"_People don't just wake up one day & say, 'I'm going to be a serial rapist & a killer.' Something leads up to it._" — Dr. Kathryn Seifert

It is a common misconception, greatly enforced by TV & the movies, that people who are evil have been their way their whole lives. Saturday morning cartoons never show the grim & sinister pasts of the villains, & when the bad guys in comic books appear, their background stories are left to our imaginations. But life is not a movie.

Scoundrels are not born overnight, but are _made_ through a series of tragic events that shaped them into who they are today. Such was the case of Alex DeLarge, the young delinquent adored by all fans of the movie that covered the most distressing points in his life...Strike that—what you've seen in "_A Clockwork Orange_" didn't even come _close_ to the most distressing points in his life.

The tale that you are about to hear is hear is that of Alex's _true_ tragedy, the very one that warped his soul & changed his heart. It will shock you, it will move you to tears, & most of all, it will prove to you that no one, not even a villain, has always been the way they appear to be.

* * *

Nestled underneath her cozy blankets, as the cold winter winds blew fiercely outside her window, Sheila DeLarge tossed & turned in her slumber, moaning dismally over whatever plagued her dreams. The moment she woke up with a terrified scream, her husband Philip quickly awakened from his interrupted sleep & turned on the light, sporting a concerned look on his face. "What is it, dear?" he asked worriedly. "Are you all right?"

Sheila took a moment to settle down, & then gave a weak smile of assurance at Philip. "I'm fine, darling," she said with a feeble attempt at hiding the troubles that bothered her soul each day. It didn't take long for Philip to see what was really going on with his wife. When he asked to find out more, Sheila sighed heavily before she made her answer.

"It's about Alex, Phil," she finally replied, trying desperately to keep from getting upset. "I had dreamt that our son had become this terrifying monster, & he started to hurt so many people in gruesome, horrible ways...Then he came in during the night, & he killed us all!" Finally, her attempts to remain calm proved to be in vain, & Sheila began to cry, leaning on her husband for support. "Oh, Philip," she sobbed, "I've been dreaming the same bloody thing for a whole year! I don't want it to become a reality..."

"There, there, Sheila," Philip said comfortingly as he patted his wife's back. "You're just imagining things. There's nothing wrong with Alex; he's as normal & happy as a child can be."

"You're right, Phil," Sheila said as she sniffled & dried her moist eyes, which gazed lovingly at a photo of her family on her nightstand. "Our baby boy is quite fine...& there's no reason to believe otherwise."

* * *

Alex DeLarge woke up from his sleep with a sudden start, as he felt himself shivering with cold & dampness. Once his nose took a tiny whiff of an acrid odor & he saw what his sheets were soaked with, Alex pouted in annoyance. The boy had only turned 12 years old a few months ago, & he _still _hadn't overcome the incontinence problem he'd had ever since he was a toddler. (His friends, fortunately, didn't mock him when they discovered his unpleasant secret, but the problem itself was just as humiliating as the revelation of it.)

With great carefulness, Alex stayed as quiet as a mouse as he tiptoed to his parents' room, softly opened the door, & went to awaken his mother. "Mum?" he asked in a hushed tone, trying his best not to whisper too loudly. "Mum, wake up!" When Sheila opened her eyes & saw her son standing in front of her, she scooted over to make room for Alex, who crawled into bed beside his darling mother as she wrapped her arms tenderly around his back & gave it a comforting rub.

"What's the matter, honey?" Sheila asked gently. "Did you have a scary dream?"

"No," Alex grumbled in reply, "but something just as bad."

Sheila had a good idea of what her son was talking about. "Oh, Alex, dear," she tried to console him, "you musn't be so upset. Lots of people still wet the bed at your age; it's usually just a problem with their bodies. Your dad, for example," she added with a playful smile, "didn't stop having accidents until he was just a few years older than you...but, anyway, son, what I'm trying to say is, well..." She paused to think of the right words to say. "There's nothing wrong with you at all, Alex; you're a perfectly normal child, & even if you _did _have a few problems, I wouldn't care in the slightest—you're my baby boy, & I love you more than anything in the world." She gave Alex a hug, & he smiled.

"Thanks, Mum," Alex said as he returned Sheila's embrace. "I really do appreciate it." After Sheila kissed her son "goodnight", she gently held him in her arms, rubbing his back & humming a soft lullaby until he finally fell fast asleep.

* * *

The next morning was slightly overcast, & when Alex, dressed in his pajamas & robe, went outside on the porch to take a look at the nippy weather, his face lit up in excitement as he saw beautiful snowflakes floating gently to the white-powdered ground. "Wicked awesome!" he cried cheerfully as he dashed upstairs to put on his winter clothes. "I'll see if Pete, Georgie, & Dim can come out to play with me!" Once he had gotten prepared for the chilly fun that lay ahead, Alex smiled in anticipation as he ran out to summon his friends.

Watching their son zip away like a race car, Philip & Sheila chuckled in amusement as they shared their brunch at the family table, adorned with garish faux sunflowers in a brightly-colored vase. "Goodness," Philip chortled as he went back to reading his newspaper, "kids these days will do _anything _for entertainment! Back when we were younger, we were content just to..." Suddenly, Philip stopped as he glanced over an article, & his face fell when he began skimming through the details.

"What is it, Philip?" Sheila asked in concern.

Philip stammered a bit, but quickly gained the courage to show his wife the horrible news he had just read. "There's been another gang murder," he said solemnly as he handed Sheila the paper. "The police said they found evidence that the victims were married with a child, but they weren't able to locate her."

"Well, wherever she is," Sheila said, "I hope she's in good hands. With all the violence that's been going on lately, she'll need to be."

* * *

Outside, blissfully unaware of the grim news his father had given his mother, Alex laughed merrily as he frolicked in the lush white snow, constructing carrot-nosed people while his three friends rode down the hills on sleds, made snow angels, & tossed snowballs at one another. Alex had just finished putting a smiling face on a new snowman, when he suddenly yelped & tumbled right into his creation, sending it crashing to the powdered ground. Just as soon as he had gotten up & looked at the demolished remains of his poor snowman, Alex pouted upon hearing triumphant laughter from a short distance away. "Georgie," he whined, "look what you made me do!"

"Oh, little Alex," the boy in the top hat said with a playful smile as he went over to dust the makeshift artillery off his friend's face, "what's the use of complaining? A snowball attack was all in good fun!"

"You should have warned me, though," Alex retorted with an annoyed, yet somber, gleam in his sparkling blue eyes. "Otherwise Mr. Snowman wouldn't have had to make his all-too-vain sacrifice for his beloved people..."

"I'll make it up to you, droogie," Georgie offered. Instantly he began sculpting a makeshift fort & ducked behind its protective walls, taking Alex with him. "_Let the winter war begin!!!_" he cried as he took a snowball & tossed it at a hefty boy in a bowler hat, causing him to lose control of his sled & crash into a pile of snow. When he emerged from the flurry (after some effort) & saw his friends bursting into laughter, his face fell. "Aw," he pouted, "no fair, that isn't!"

"Don't be such a whiner, Dim," Alex taunted, going over to the stout lad & playfully boxing his muff-covered ears. "Like Georgie said, it's all in good fun!"

"Well, you wanna know what's really fun?" Dim challenged, as his brown eyes twinkled roguishly. "Seeing you get your sharries kicked by bolshy old me, that's what!" With a mock snarl, Dim quickly gave chase after Alex & Georgie, who bolted away with gleeful giggles as they sought shelter from the wrath of the behemoth beast that was quickly gaining up on them.

Just as Dim had cornered his friends & prepared to give them the ultimate snowball attack of their lives, a lanky youngster donning a beret came up to them, looking frantic as he struggled to catch his breath that curled like smoke in the winter winds. "Pete," Alex asked in concern, "what's happened?"

"There's someone in the alley down the street," Pete replied, pointing yonder. "We have to do something, & quickly, before it gets too cold!" With this in mind, Alex & the others willingly followed Pete. By the time the boys got to their destination, they were surprised to see a young girl, around their age, lying in the snow as she shivered violently. Though Alex & his friends could not get a good look at the lass, they could tell from the way she drew her ratty blanket around herself & from her quiet, shallow breathing that she had been exposed to the elements for a long time.

"What will we do with her?" Alex worried, for he knew that the girl was sure to die unless she was cared for immediately.

"Let's take her to your house," Pete suggested, & with that, the four boys strained with effort as they struggled to carry her into the DeLarge family's home, before collapsing & stopping to catch their much-needed breath as the girl fell to the floor with a thud. When Sheila went to see what was going on, her eyes widened & she let out a panicked scream. "Philip," she called frantically for her husband as she went to help the poor girl, "come quickly!"


	2. Angela

**A SPARK OF GOOD**

AUTHOR'S NOTES: All "Clockwork Orange" characters are property of Anthony Burgess, except for Angela, who belongs to me. I give many thanks to my dear friend Diane N. Tran for providing her ideas for this fanfic, which would not have been possible without her kind assistance.

Enjoy the story. I welcome all reviews, so long as they're not flames.

* * *

Chapter 2:

Angela

An hour had passed, but thankfully, the girl had managed to make it through her ordeal as she slumbered peacefully on the living room couch, nestled in thick blankets. Alex, his parents, & his friends gathered around her, anxious to see when she would awaken from her state of unconsciousness; Sheila, however, didn't want to keep everyone idle for what would probably be a long time. "Why don't you boys help me make some hot soup," she suggested as she led Alex & his friends into the kitchen, "while we wait for our guest to come around?"

After another half-hour, when Alex, Sheila, & the boys had fixed up a good few bowls of delicious broth, Philip called them into the living room. "Looks like Sleeping Beauty's finally waking up," he quipped with a smile, as Sheila led the boys to their chairs & watched with a loving gaze as they tucked heartily into their food. When Alex finished his soup & went over to feed his family's guest, he paused for what seemed like many minutes & stared in great awe as he looked upon her face...a face that would haunt his soul forever...

The visitor was, as Alex had assumed, a young lady, & a most beautiful one, at that. Her smooth skin was ivory-pale, & not yet warmed from the cozy fire blazing in the hearth. A serene expression was on her delicate face, & her eyes, a deep ocean-blue just like his, sparkled contentedly in their sockets, even though they were rimmed with a crimson hue & dried-up tears adorned her rosy cheeks, which were accentuated by a tiny little smile. Long, luscious tresses of golden sunshine draped down her neck & shoulders, & nestled between her breasts was a silver necklace with a dangling cross charm.

Alex quickly caught his breath as he stared at the lovely girl, who was curled up on his couch with a cat-like grace. She was a goddess in the guise of a preteen, an adolescent Aphrodite, &, oh, how even more beautiful she looked when the fireplace flames tinted her person with a warm amber glow! Intoxicated by the girl's gorgeousness, a mesmerized Alex gently swept his little hand across her face, brushing some locks of hair out of her eyes. When she smiled in response, Alex couldn't help but smile back at her...before suddenly remembering what he was supposed to have been doing a few moments ago.

Once Alex tenderly pried open the girl's lips & spoonfed her the hot chicken broth, she made satisfied murmurs as she laid back on the couch & slowly took in each bite of her food, savoring the wonderful taste as though she had never eaten before. After she was full, Dim went over to fluff up the girl's pillow; when she squirmed a bit to get comfortable, though, her blankets moved ever so slightly & accidentally gave Dim a glimpse of something she would normally keep hidden from view.

"Ewww," Dim commented in disgust as he made a face & averted his eyes. "You didn't tell me she would be all nagoy & showing her woman parts!"

"Dimitri," Sheila scolded, "don't be crude!" Turning to her guest with a smile, she asked, "Now, my dear, would you like to tell us your name?"

"_Qu'avez-vous dit?_" the girl questioned, for her ears had not yet cleared up & she didn't understand what Sheila had said. Though the middle-aged mother couldn't speak French, Philip was quite fluent in the language. "_Quel est votre __nom?_" he asked the young visitor, hoping she would give them her name.

"Angela," the girl answered. "Angela Rodelaire-Westbrook."

"Do you speak English?" Philip questioned further. "_Parlez-vous l'anglais?_"

"Yes," Angela replied with a nod of her head. "Yes, I do, _monsieur_."

"Very well, then," Sheila said. "Angela, lambkin, my son & his friends said they found you in one of the streets near the flatblock, all alone & curled up in the snow without any clothes on...That's not a thing one would normally do in the dead cold of winter; did something bad befall upon you, by any chance?" The moment Sheila had spoken this, tears quickly flooded Angela's eyes & the distressed girl started to cry uncontrollably, curling up into a little ball as she sobbed into her pillow.

"What's wrong, Angela?" Pete asked in concern, stroking her beautiful blonde hair in a comforting gesture. "What happened to you?"

"I can't tell you," Angela wept as she shook her head, "I musn't! He'll kill me...he'll kill me if I tell anyone!"

Quickly, Alex scooped Angela into his arms & gently shook her, begging for answers to his mother's questions. But Angela kept crying & refusing to tell what happened to her, & after a long interval when her sobs became more & more hysterical, she quietly, ever so quietly, slipped into a daze. Her blue eyes glazed over as she gently sucked on her tiny thumb, rocking & humming to herself as she lingered in her state of peacefulness.

Sheila didn't know what to make of it. "What do we do now?" she asked.

"Go run Angela a hot bath," Philip said to his wife. "Alex & I will fix the room for her."

"All right, boys, playtime's over," Sheila said as she led Pete, Georgie, & Dim to the door. "Your parents will be waiting, & we don't want to worry them."

"Yes, Mrs. DeLarge," the youngsters said in unison, filing briskly out of the house after they had given Sheila "farewell" kisses on the cheek.

"May you & yours have a horrorshow day," Pete said cheerfully as he waved his mitten-covered hand. "And I hope everything goes well with Angela!" Sheila smiled & waved in response, & then shut the door as she went back inside.

* * *

While Sheila gave Angela her bath, Alex & Philip cleaned up the bedroom & made everything nice for their guest. After some time, Sheila finally returned with Angela; the girl had been dried off with a fluffy clean towel & dressed in a nightgown. Angela was then gently placed onto the bed & tucked cozily under the covers, as Alex crawled in beside her & got comfortable. "All right, son," Philip quipped with a playful smile as he led his wife out of the room, "we'll leave you two alone now. Get plenty of rest...& mind your manners with the missus, Alex!"

Once the lights had been turned off & the door had been shut, Alex wished his parents "goodnight", & snuggled underneath the thick blankets, with Angela curled up peacefully at his side. When he had made sure that Philip & Sheila had retired to their own room, Alex smiled & turned to face Angela, who was not quite ready for sleep. "Your name is Angela?" he asked genially in a hushed tone, hoping to start a nice conversation with the girl. "That's a very pretty name."

"_Merci beaucoup,_" Angela thanked, returning Alex's smile as her cheeks flushed a rosy pink. "And what's _your _name?"

"My name is Alex," the boy introduced himself.

Angela's eyes sparkled & her smile widened a bit when she heard those words. "Alex," she whispered reverently, gazing dreamily into the boy's youthful face. "I love that name...it sounds like the name of a prince."

Alex's cheeks turned a light-scarlet & his smile became sheepish. "Actually, it was my grandfather's name," the boy said. "Mum wanted to pass it on to me around the time I was born; she said I looked so much like her dad, with his blue eyes & fair hair...I suppose the dapper-dan look runs in the family." Alex wasn't really embarrassed by his uncanny resemblance to his grandfather, but Angela's genuine words of praise made him feel just a bit awkward. After all, it was the first compliment he had received from anyone other than his parents or friends; he wasn't all that sure how to deal with the flattering emotions it brought upon him.

"No need to be ashamed," Angela said, with her sweet, childlike smile still on her tiny lips. "I think your name & looks are both very lovely." Quickly overcoming his bashfulness, Alex didn't fail to thank Angela for her kind words, & it wasn't very long before the two began engaging in small chat, hushing their voices so as not to wake Sheila & Philip up from their sleep. The two tweens talked over many different topics & various subjects, but when they began conversing about their interests & hobbies, their _tête-à-tête_ reached a noteworthy turning point.

"So," Alex asked Angela, "what are your favorite things? Is there anything in particular that you like?"

"Well," Angela said after a short pause in thought, "I do like many things...for instance, I like toys, & rainbows, & flowers, & dollies, & baby animals..."

"I love baby animals, too!" Alex remarked in astonishment, his face overcome with a look of profound sweetness. "Baby bunnies & kitties are my favorites."

"_Mon Dieu, _you like baby bunnies, just like me!" Angela gushed admiringly. "Baby bunnies are so adorable, aren't they? With their cute pink bunny noses, & their bright eyes, & their big ears..."

"Don't forget the little white cotton-tails," Alex added with an amused chuckle. "I've always had a passion for everything that's white; in fact, white happens to be one of my favorite colors."

"Mine, too!" Angela agreed. "I also like pink, & green, & purple, & blue...but I think white is the best color of all the ones I love. It goes with practically everything, & it's so pretty to look at sometimes."

"Totally," Alex concurred. "I can't believe you & I have so much in common, Angela. I'll bet we're gonna be fast friends soon...but just to be a little more precise," he added, "what are your favorite pastimes?"

"I enjoy playing with toys, & reading, & painting, & singing," Angela answered, stifling a great big yawn. "But sleeping...is always...my..." The lids of her pretty eyes fluttered closed, & Angela laid her head on the pillow as her blonde hair surrounded her face like an angel's halo. "Goodnight, Alex," Angela said sleepily with another yawn, as her contented smile appeared again on her face & she drifted off to sleep.

Alex chuckled & kissed Angela's forehead, before snuggling up under the covers & whispering sweetly, "Goodnight, Angela. Pleasant dreams." It wasn't very long before Alex joined Angela in her slumber.


	3. Secrets To Hide

**A SPARK OF GOOD**

AUTHOR'S NOTES: All "Clockwork Orange" characters are property of Anthony Burgess, except for Angela, who belongs to me. I give many thanks to my dear friend Diane N. Tran for providing her ideas for this fanfic, which would not have been possible without her kind assistance.

Enjoy the story. I welcome all reviews, so long as they're not flames.

* * *

Chapter 3:

Secrets To Hide

Even in his sleep, Alex could not fight back the demons that haunted him each & every day of his life. No matter how hard he tried, Alex couldn't make the image of his caretaker's leering face go away...

_Suddenly, Alex found himself in his old nursery, as a little child. His parents, dressed in coats & caps, were about to head off for work. A middle-aged man with short blonde hair was giving a broad, forced smile at them as he bid them "farewell". Once Sheila & Philip had left, Mr. Deltoid crept closer & closer towards his young client, his eyes containing a lustful aura within them._

"_Well, little Alex," Deltoid said with a lascivious smile, "guess what we're going to do today...We're going to play a game, yes?"_

_Alex was about to protest, but before he could say anything, Deltoid had picked the tiny boy up into his arms & began to undress him as he gave the boy a series of deep, passionate kisses. Frightened for his safety, Alex attempted to squirm away, but his babysitter only tightened his hold on him as his liplocks became more & more intense._

_Soon, Alex found himself being pinned to his bed, gasping for breath as he was suffocated by Deltoid's unrelenting kisses & the feeling of his caretaker's body pressing upon his small frame. When Deltoid had gotten off him, Alex barely had time to catch his breath before the cold-hearted babysitter undressed & placed the terrified boy onto his lap._

"_What are you doing to me?" Alex asked fearfully, trying so hard not to cry._

"_Shhh..." Deltoid whispered, putting a finger to Alex's lips & then kissing him there once more. "My boy, there's no need to worry, yes? After all, we do love each other, & I know you're just as desperate to show it as I am, yes?" Deltoid's hands roamed shamelessly around his client's body, but he had surely crossed the line when he had touched a prize Alex had been taught never to let anyone claim..._

"_Let me go," Alex snarled behind gritted teeth, struggling fiercely to break away. "Don't you dare touch me!" Suddenly, his attempts to escape were thwarted & his throat closed tighter & tighter as Deltoid placed his mighty hands around the boy's neck, sneering angrily at him with those licentious eyes, a deep shade of green that indicated the blasphemous desire that blazed within him._

"_You're saying that you don't like me, Alex, boy?" the babysitter snarled, as a hideous frown illuminated his face. "You want me to be all alone in the world, without a single friend, yes?" The darkness was quickly closing in on Alex; he had to give his answer before it permanently overtook him. When Alex promised not to abandon his caretaker, a satisfied Deltoid released his grip on his tiny throat, allowing him to breathe as he was placed onto his uncovered lap once more._

"_Don't be so afraid, yes," Deltoid assured his little lover with a cruel smile, as he planted wet kisses & lustful caresses on Alex's quivering body. "It won't hurt in the slightest..." Feeling no remorse at what he was about to do next, Deltoid roughly grabbed Alex's hand & placed it upon his member, making him stroke it until he became aroused. The wicked elder didn't even bother to stifle his passionate gasps & groans as he flipped a startled Alex over, covered his mouth with a gag, & tied him to the bed, before mounting him & finally making the first penetration._

_Alex gritted his teeth in agony as the pain, searing & unrelenting, engulfed his insides like a wildfire. He did not pay any attention to the way Deltoid fondled his most treasured possessions, the way he planted sloppy kisses everywhere, the way he shuddered in profane ecstasy with each thrust into his body, or even the way his nails dug sharply into his skin & drew blood...all he could think about was the pain. As it grew increasingly intense, Alex felt as though he were going to die from the torture; tears, silent as they were, poured from his eyes, & though he yearned to scream, he knew no one would hear him as long as that foul gag was on his mouth._

_Finally, after Deltoid had climaxed & released himself with orgasmic cries, he untied Alex's ropes & collapsed onto the bed, gasping for the breath he had lost during his exhausting ordeal. Alex whimpered & quietly sobbed, though, as he saw blood trickling from the place where he had been hurt. Alex quickly grabbed a tiny blanket & attempted to nurse the wound, but Deltoid snatched it away. "Thanks so much, yes," he said as he placed the blanket over his nude body. "I needed that..."_

_Hoping that there would be a chance for him to escape the sexual fury of the madman in his bed, Alex was about to quietly tiptoe away, but Deltoid insisted that he stay. "Come, come, my boy," he whispered as he gently patted a spot on the bed beside him, "come to Uncle Deltoid..." Alex dared not disobey his caretaker again; slowly, but fearfully, the frightened boy inched his way over, as Deltoid encouraged him to keep going._

_When his client had gotten close enough, Deltoid grabbed Alex in his arms & drew him to his stout, sweat-covered frame, caressing him & savoring each touch he placed upon him as he pulled the blanket over them, almost as if he could hide his horrible action from the eyes of the world. Alex felt sickened at the sheer notion of it, but only became more so when he experienced the next—but most certainly not final—thing Deltoid that would do to him..._

_Cold chills ran up & down Alex's spine as Deltoid placed his fingers on the spot where he had hurt his young "lover" so badly, scooped up some of the blood, & licked it off sensuously as the crimson fluid stained his hideous teeth; much to Alex's horror, his lips, tongue, & even his entire face were painted with the blood, & wherever the discoloration was, Deltoid tainted it even more with his wet, deep kisses that showed no sorrow, no shame at the awful crime he had just committed._

"_You're mine, now, yes," Deltoid whispered as he gave a repulsed Alex one final kiss on his mouth. "And no one can have you...no one but me..."_

_Alex could no longer keep silent. "You'll never have me, Mr. Deltoid," he spoke with defiance in his anger-tinged voice as he broke away. "My mummy & daddy will call the police, & they'll take you away. They'll lock you up in jail, where mean people like you go, & then you'll never hurt me again!"_

"_Don't be so sure of that!" Deltoid snarled. "No one will believe you...because they haven't seen it, yes...And your mummy & daddy are good friends of mine; they won't think I hurt you, & I'm just as certain they'll believe you're making it all up. Now that you think about it, there's no point in trying to tell them, now, is there, yes?" Alex's heart sank at this grim realization, & as he considered Deltoid's words, he crawled back into bed, sobbing ever so pitifully._

"_There, there, my boy," Deltoid said in his syrupy voice tinged with mock compassion, "dry those tears." Alex quickly did so, & continued to remain silent as his babysitter subjected him to his passionate wrath. As the hours passed, the things that Alex was exposed to became more & more sexually devious, more perverse with every horrible deed Deltoid committed at the poor boy's expense. When the afternoon came, the older man had contented himself as he cradled a whimpering Alex in his unrelenting embrace, with their terrible trysts once again hidden by a fuzzy, baby-blue blanket. Deltoid quickly rose & got dressed, though, when he heard the sound of a car honking outside._

"_And remember, Alex," he ordered as he helped the sniffling boy into his pajamas, "not a word about this to anyone. It's our little secret..." With this, Deltoid smiled salaciously at him once more & left the house. When Alex's parents came up to bid their darling boy "hello", they were surprised to see him curled up on the floor, hugging his favorite stuffed bunny, Hoppy, as he mewled miserably._

"_Alex, lambkin," Sheila asked as she gathered her son in her arms, "what's the matter?"_

"_Nothing, Mummy," Alex lied, remembering what Deltoid had told him as his little arms clutched Hoppy tighter. "I just got a booboo, that's all; I fell down & hurt my bum."_

_Philip, however, saw the hemorrhaging injury from earlier. "Son," he said solemnly, "you're bleeding. You don't just get booboos like this from a fall; someone hurt you, Alex."_

"_No, Daddy!" Alex protested, tears flooding down his rosy cheeks as his tiny voice tried so desperately to insist that he was all right. "I swear it's just a booboo! I'm OK, really, I am..."_

_Frowning compassionately, Sheila took her son's chin in her hand & lifted it until his gaze met hers. "Alex, love," she consoled him, "whatever happened to you, it's not your fault in the least. Everything will be all right; just tell Mummy & Daddy who hurt you."_

_Alex wanted to be quiet & not reply, as Deltoid's menacing words echoed in his mind. But before he could stop himself, he wound up answering, "Mr. Deltoid hurt me...he did so many awful things to me, even though I tried to tell him not to. You believe me, right?"_

_Alex's fears—& Deltoid's warnings—were indeed confirmed as he received disbelieving looks from his parents in response. "You were probably just imagining things," Philip had said, despite his son's protests, "or perhaps it was a bad dream. You know Deltoid's a good friend of the family, & he's your friend, too; he wouldn't harm a hair on you, even if he had the chance."_

_When Philip & Sheila had offered their son some final crumbs of comfort & then gone downstairs to make dinner, Alex burst into tears; he was crushed by the fact that his parents didn't believe what he had told them. Distraught & confused over everything, the poor boy continued to weep as he crawled into the bed where he had been so mercilessly assaulted, sobbing into his pillow as Hoppy stayed buried in his tiny arms, trying to comfort his owner with a cheerful smile on his little bunny face._

_

* * *

_

Not even letting out a scream, Alex immediately woke up from his terrible nightmare, panting heavily as he clutched a hand to his chest. No, it wasn't a nightmare—it was all too real. How could Alex ever have imagined the horrible things that happened to him during his childhood? But that's just it—he had no childhood. Deltoid, that cruel & heartless monster who looked so much like a human being, had taken it away from him; he had _deprived _Alex of the precious moments he should have spent indulging in the innocent activities of youth. And there was no way for Alex to take them back, no matter how hard he wished otherwise...

Suddenly, Alex's ears perked up to the sound of deep rumbling, & he glanced outside as lightning illuminated the darkness of his room & heavy rain pattered upon his window, falling down the panes like the tears than began pouring down his cheeks. It seemed that God was sharing his sadness, for He was the only one who believed Alex's horrible story. _If only,_ the boy thought wistfully, _that everyone else would..._

Alex's silent lamentations were soon interrupted by the sound of quiet sobs coming from underneath the blankets. Alex pulled back the covers & saw Angela curled up in a ball, tears cascading from her pretty blue eyes. "What's wrong, Angela?" Alex asked as he stooped over the girl & gently stroked her soft blonde hair. "Why are you crying?"

"I'm afraid," she whispered tearfully. "I'm just so afraid...of the storm." Alex's eyes softened in compassion, & he gathered Angela into his arms, which he wrapped protectively around her tiny body. Though the rain continued to pour relentlessly outside the window as thunder & lightning accompanied its fall, Angela was soon calmed by the soothing sensation of swaying back & forth, back & forth, with gentle slowness... While he rocked Angela like a little baby, Alex tenderly caressed her hair & rubbed her back as he sang a soft lullaby to her...

_**Dearest little angel, with golden hair so long  
**__**Try not to fear the violent storm that rages ever on  
**__**I'll protect you, little one, no matter what the cost  
**__**I pray you'll stay all through the night...**_

Alex stopped singing for a moment to look at Angela. She was fast asleep in his arms.

_**To help me gain what I have lost...**_

As the memories of his horrid past rushed upon him again, Alex burst into tears as he buried his face in Angela's hair, taking in the lavender perfume while his nose nestled within her curls of sunshine. The comforting aroma brought Alex into a wondrous state of peace, & Angela's presence became truly known to him. _She __is__ an angel, here to rescue me from these demons that haunt me so...Oh, how I wish I could fly away with you! Then we'd be together forever, with no one to hurt us...we'd be safe in each other's arms..._

The thoughts of Angela as his savior calmed Alex even more, & soon, he fell asleep with the girl lying in his arms. Angela smiled happily throughout her long & peaceful slumber, for she, too, needed an angel in her darkest hour, & Alex was the one. But it was much too soon for Alex to know of Angela's secrets—her own personal demons. He would know one day, she decided, but not until he was ready.

* * *

The morning sun streamed brilliantly through Alex's bedroom window, melting the frost & striking against Angela's pretty face, which was the first thing Alex saw once he had woken up from his sleep. It was a lovely thing to see in the morning after all the painful memories he had endured last night. Seeing Angela's beautiful blue eyes & her promising smile gave the boy hope—hope for a brighter future.

Smiling back at his new friend, Alex greeted, "Good morning, Angela. Did you sleep well?" In response, Angela nodded & kissed Alex on the nose, causing him to blush a deep crimson that matched the color of her rosy cheeks. Alex chuckled, before tackling Angela to the bed, tickling her furiously & making her burst into merry laughter that made Alex's heart swell with joy, as though he'd never heard such a sound before. It was indeed divine, as it echoed through the room like the peal of a church bell, tingling Alex's ears with a sweet ring.

After releasing his fingers of fury & helping Angela onto her feet, Alex smiled once more at the girl as he led her into the kitchen, where his parents would be preparing breakfast. And lo & behold, they just so happened to be placing the morning meal on the table as soon as the two youngsters arrived, licking their lips when they smelled the delicious aroma of bacon & eggs.

"Good morning, children," Sheila greeted with a cheery grin as she handed Alex & Angela their breakfast. "How was your slumber last night?"

"Mine was _très bien,_ quite fine, Mrs. DeLarge," Angela replied, taking a few moments to finish her first mouthful of food. "Alex had a few nightmares, though. I was awake then, & I heard him crying & mumbling about some guy named Deltoid touching him." Upon hearing this, Philip & Sheila instantly became silent & sported discontented looks. "What's wrong, Mr. & Mrs. DeLarge?" Angela asked, taking notice of the change in their countenances. "Do you know about this?"

It was a while before Philip finally found his voice again. "You have to understand, Angela," the factory worker said with an occasional stutter, "Alex has always had a vivid imagination. While our son's never _deliberately_ lied to us, at the same time, he's talked about a lot of crazy things, just a bunch of fancies...For the most part, he's only goofing around when he does it, being a child, you know? And yet, when he starts to blow things out of proportion, it's just not funny anymore, & Sheila & I get so worried..."

"Alex has been to counseling, but only once," Sheila added, staring wistfully into the coffee she stirred. "The doctors diagnosed our boy with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder shortly after the first time Mr. Deltoid babysat for him...but for whatever reason, I have no clue."

_Could it be that that monster has hurt me so much, without you even knowing? _Alex thought bitterly to himself, trying his best not to look upset.

"Alex keeps saying that Deltoid has been touching him behind our backs, & doing all sorts of horrible things to him. I would tell you more, if you wouldn't mind, but we're at the table...But Alex knows he has nothing to fear; Deltoid's a decent, good-hearted man, & he's also been a dear friend to our family for many years. I can't understand why Alex would tell me & Phil such bad stories about him..."

_I pity you, Mum & Dad—I want to tell you everything, & yet, I know you won't believe me...you never have, since Deltoid lured you into his trap. But it's not your fault—I thought I could trust him, too._

"I know we haven't been together but for only a short while, but Alex has never told me anything that wouldn't be true," Angela said, staring at Sheila with a defensive look on her pretty face. "Why would _you_ think he was lying?"

"As I've said, Angela," Philip explained, "our son's always been an imaginative little fellow. I'm sure he doesn't mean anything, though. It's just one of the things of childhood...it'll go away in due time." With this, everyone went back to eating their breakfast.

Convinced that his friend would be the next to doubt him, Alex prepared to take Angela back to his room, where he could tell her every horrible detail about what Mr. Deltoid happened to him...& perhaps receive some sympathy from her. Before he could ask for himself & Angela to be excused, however, Alex froze in fear as Sheila went to answer the door. Standing in the threshold was a portly, blonde-haired man in a gray trenchcoat & matching trousers; his face sported a forced grin, & his deep green eyes sparkled with a licentious gleam.

"Good day, everyone," the man purred in a velvety voice as he kissed Sheila's hand & shook Philip's. "I hope you're all doing well today, yes?"

"We're getting along fine, Mr. Deltoid," Sheila replied with a smile, once again oblivious to the charming monster that had invaded their home. "Oh, have I introduced you to the newest member of our family?" With that, Angela was brought over to Mr. Deltoid, & her acquaintance was made.

"What an adorable little pumpkin, yes," the older man cooed, smiling & pinching Angela's cheek playfully. "She'd better be on her best behavior, yes, or she'll have to deal with me as her Post-Corrective Advisor..."

"You've been made parole officer? We never even knew!" Philip said, delighted by the news. "A hearty congratulations to you from us, Deltoid!"

"Much appreciated, Mr. DeLarge...much appreciated, indeed, yes," Deltoid replied, turning his attention to Alex. The boy did his best not to cause a scene as his former babysitter petted his face, but when Deltoid began sniffing his hair, Alex quickly dropped the act. When the object of his "affections" began squirming in his grasp & snarling words of resistance under his breath, Deltoid refused to let go of his prize. In fact, he had just the excuse he could use to get some lone time with Alex...

* * *

Once Deltoid had taken Alex to his room, he shut the door, only leaving it open a crack for Angela to see through. After the new parole officer placed Alex on his bed, the boy was prepared to defend himself; much to his great surprise, however, Deltoid didn't lay a hand on him. Angela was also shocked, but waited to see what would happen next.

"I've come to tell you, Alex, boy," Deltoid said as he dried a few tears from his eyes, "that I'm no longer interested in you, yes...I've moved on to smaller & better things, since you've approached the proverbial gate to manhood, & are going through puberty as of this year, yes. But fear not, Alex, boy, I'll still visit you from time to time..."

Alex gritted his teeth & voiced his "approval", but nevertheless was grateful for the end to all the years of suffering he had gone through. Before he left, however, Deltoid grabbed Alex's hair & pulled the reluctant boy in for a passionate kiss. "I will always let your memory remain in my heart, yes," he whispered as he caressed Alex's cheek & slowly drifted away like a salacious phantom, not even noticing Angela creeping into the room beside him.

"Alex," Angela said sorrowfully as she sat beside her friend, "I'm so sorry...for all that's happened to you. How could that...that brute, that cruel _monster,_ hurt you like this for all these years & get away with it?"

"It's a mystery, even to me, Angela," Alex replied, as a smile accentuated his watering eyes. "But I won't have to deal with it anymore." Angela gave Alex a kiss on the cheek, patted his back in assurance, & then glided off, as the scent of her lavender perfume wafted throughout the room. Alex took in the aroma, & he felt comforted once more, knowing that the angel who looked so much like a mortal was in his presence, always there to heal the wounds that plagued him...

Suddenly, Alex snapped out of his blissful reverie as he heard a bloodcurdling scream! Quickly, the panicked boy dashed into the kitchen, where Angela stood by the table, shrieking fearfully as she saw a figure peering menacingly through the window. Though the intruder quickly darted away from view, Alex managed to get a glimpse of him—his hair was wild & black, his face was adorned with stubble & rage-filled eyes, & he was dressed in a camouflage-coated Nazi uniform, with a matching cap & goggles on his head.

Angela clearly knew the man & was absolutely terrified of him, but Alex was even more so—he also knew the man & was worried about his connection to Angela. What if she...Alex's heart sank at the very thought of it. No...no, it _couldn't_ be true! Angela was pure & innocent, everything that bully was not. She _couldn't_ have had anything to do with him...but what if she did? What if Alex's secret love had joined forces with his enemy & she was attempting to trick the boy with her wicked, wanton ways?

"Alex," Angela wept as she clutched her friend tightly, "please hold me..."

Seeing the fear in Angela's watering eyes, Alex was sure that she couldn't have had anything to do with the monster in the window. Gently wrapping his arms around his friend & caressing her hair, he whispered softly, "It's all right, Angela...it's all right..."

* * *

Angela quickly passed through her daze, & when her happy smile once again lit up her face, things carried on in the DeLarge home as usual. For the rest of the day, Angela had managed to keep her calm, & to everyone's surprise, she didn't burst into her fits of crying; she was actually very cheerful, more than she usually was, as she contented herself to playing games with Alex & his friends, helping Sheila bake her famous cherry pies, & going with Philip to the grocery store. She tried hard to forget what she had seen that morning, & for the most part, her efforts were successful...that is, until dusk arrived & Angela had been left alone for her evening bath.

Going up to the mirror & slowly removing her glossy silk robe, Angela quickly lost the composure she had kept for so long, & tears flooded her blue eyes as she gazed at her nude body; it bore dozens of faded scars & bruises that had not yet healed. The memories of the horrible events that had caused those injuries soon flooded upon Angela, whose sobs only became more hysterical as she stepped into her warm bath, hoping it would soothe her. It didn't, but quickly, Angela's crying spell reached its peak & then slowly lapsed into her hypnotic daze...

* * *

_Angela emerged from her peaceful coma, surprised to find that she was still naked, surrounded by whirling winter winds. The air chilled Angela to the bone, & she shivered with cold as she curled up in her ball & struggled not to succumb to the freezing temperatures. Suddenly, she stood & gasped in fright as she sensed the presence of someone she knew approaching her; though she could not see him, she could certainly feel his invisible body pressing against hers & a pair of imaginary hands grabbing her around her bare waist, as coarse puffs of breath, reeking with the smell of alcohol, stung her nose & eyes._

"_Don't even try to run away from me," that gruff, fury-tinged voice growled into Angela's ear. "You're mine, you stupid girl! And I don't let go of what's mine..." Though she yearned to break away from her unseen captor's grasp, Angela literally became paralyzed with fear as his gloved hands shamelessly fondled her nude body, his dirty fingernails_—_so thankfully hidden underneath_—_tainting her ivory skin with his wanton touch..._

"_Let me go," Angela snapped fiercely, trying once again to put up a fight. "You monster, I said, let me go!"_

"_You dream about fucking him, don't you, Angela?" the voice asked the frightened girl, as his tone became lascivious. "You want him so badly...I know you do, you little slut. And his dreams are no different...I'm sure he wants to fuck you, too. He's waiting, Angela...waiting for the night when he'll take you...he'll blow your mind, you dirty whore, & you'll enjoy every sinful moment of it..."_

"_Don't talk about Alex like that!" Angela snarled. "He would never touch me unless I asked him to!"_

"_You know it's true," the voice insisted, as the hands moved further down Angela's body. "You want him, Angela. You want him to make you scream...the moment his face appears in your mind, your body burns with a soothing flame, & you go wet between your legs..." The hands began exploring her underbelly, & slowly touching her most precious possession; now Angela was even more determined to escape from her captor's grasp._

_When the girl fought back with increasing vehemence, the invisible hands quickly plucked out of her womb, & then gripped around her neck tightly. Angela let out a scream as the gloved fingers reached into her throat & pulled out a cluster of small cords, tinged with blood & withering in the extreme cold. Sickened & horrified at what had just happened, Angela was about to emit another shriek...but nothing came out._

_When she attempted again & again to make her voice heard, the only thing Angela received in response was her captor's cruel, mocking laughter. Slowly, the girl began gurgling as she collapsed to the snowy ground, & darkness overwhelmed her. The last thing Angela saw before her eyes closed in eternal slumber was the hideous, haggard face that had leered at her so many times..._

* * *

The gurgling became louder & louder, but instead of blackness rushing over Angela, it was water. The girl quickly panicked, & thrashed about wildly as she began shouting for help, her voice warped from the water as bubbles escaped her lips. Just a few seconds later, the door burst open, & Alex quickly fished Angela out of the tub & laid her onto the bathroom floor. While Philip & Sheila coached Alex, the frightened boy began performing CPR on Angela, & the girl recovered shortly, much to everyone's great relief.

"What's wrong with you, Angela?" Alex asked, as his heart started to slow its pace & he tried to calm down. "Don't you know you could have killed yourself?"

"_Je suis désolé,_ Alex," Angela apologized, looking plaintive. "I'm so sorry...I just got tired, & before I knew it, I fell asleep. I didn't mean to frighten you..." Tears began pouring from Angela's eyes again, but her sobs remained gentle as she collapsed into Alex's arms, burying her head in his chest.

"It's OK, Angela," Alex said comfortingly, scooping the girl into his arms & cuddling her. "Everything's all right. I swear, nothing's going to happen to you." Angela stopped crying, & she gave Alex a hug in return. Her mind, however, still raced with dark thoughts...

_If you only knew, Alex...if you only knew..._

_

* * *

_

"_That little tart! I'll kill her! I'll fucking kill her!_" The five goons dashed for cover as a bottle of beer flew in their direction & collided with the wall, its amber contents oozing down onto the stage floor. Once the outburst was over, the thuggish teenagers peeked out from their hiding places & watched their leader Billyboy, half-crazed with jealousy & rage, mutter all sorts of curses under his breath as he sat in a lavish prop throne, attempting to light a cigarette. After finally managing to ignite one, Billyboy placed the cancer-stick into his mouth & took a series of long, deep drags, blowing the smoke out in quick, livid exhales. As he went through this anger-management ritual, Billyboy reached into a nearby cooler for a second bottle of alcohol. To his frustration, it was completely empty.

"Cass," Billyboy barked to one of his cronies, "get me another round of 6-packs. The damn icebox is out."

"But I don't have any pretty polly," Cass protested, pulling his pockets inside-out. Like the icebox, they, too, were completely void of anything within. But Billyboy ignored that fact as he lit another cigarette & began to smoke it. "Cass," he ordered coolly, "get your ass over here. I've got a question for you..."

The nerdy-looking thug nervously wrung the hem of his Nazi camouflage jacket in his gloved hands as he made his way over to Billyboy in slow, timid steps. "What is it?" Cass finally asked, his voice quivering a bit as locks of bright red hair hung in his frowning face & concealed his soft green eyes, adorned with small spectacles, that looked down shamefully at the stage floor.

"What's the first thing I taught you about money?" Billyboy asked, masking his irritation with an unnerving calmness as he quietly puffed on his cigarette some more.

"Th-th-that if you don't have any," Cass answered with a stutter, "y-y-you go &...s-s-steal something."

"Bingo!" Billyboy exclaimed sarcastically, clapping his hands in mock-applause. "We have a winner here!" The gang leader leaned over to Cass & exhaled a cloud of bitter gray smoke into his face, much to the minion's displeasure. "And what do you do, Cass, when you want to steal something?" he asked his minion with a playful, teasing sneer.

"That's the p-p-problem," Cass stuttered, his hands sweating as they were squeezed anxiously. "I don't want to steal. I've been thinking, Billyboy, about how wrong it is, & I've just decided not to..." Cass quickly silenced himself as Billyboy slowly turned to glare at him with wild dark eyes that blazed with rage.

"What the hell did I just hear you say, Cass?" Billyboy asked coldly in a dangerous whisper.

"I-I-I don't w-w-want t-to steal or beat up or hurt anyone," Cass confessed again. "It's..."

"_SHUT YOUR FUCKING MOUTH!_" Billyboy screeched, slapping Cass across the face & sending him tumbling to the stage floor. The snapping of bones was heard, & the other four goons gasped as Cass attempted to ease the pain of the fracture that had just formed in his knee. Billyboy swiftly got out of his throne & strode towards the trembling Cass as his countenance became livid & hateful. "You listen here, Cass," Billyboy snarled as he took the goon's chin in his gloved hand & then tilted his face until his gaze met his, "there's no room for weaklings in this world. Not anymore! You're either a man or you're a pussy. Take your pick, you smelly little bastard."

"B-But Billyboy—" Cass cut himself off as he stared with frightened eyes at the shining blade of the switchblade knife that his boss had just opened.

"So what are you, Cass?" Billyboy asked tauntingly with a wicked smile, putting the deadly weapon to his minion's paling flesh. "A man who has no qualms about what he's ordered to do & doesn't give a damn about what happens to anybody else...or a whining, whimpering brat who wants to be nice & do the right thing 'cause that's what Mommy would like for him to do?"

"Uh, the second one," Cass replied with a sheepish grin, completely unaware that those would be the last words he'd ever speak.

With his usual black sense of humor, Billyboy imitated a buzzer in response to Cass' answer. "Wrong answer, you little cunt," the gang leader smirked, putting his knife in just the right spot...

In the safety of their hiding places, the other gang members averted their eyes in fear, trying to ignore Cass' screams of pain. Billyboy only smiled in devilish satisfaction as he plunged the knife deeper & deeper into his unfortunate victim's heart & made a slit across his throat, before finally plucking the ensanguined weapon out & watching with insidious glee at what happened next.

Cass drew in quick gasps, hoping to take in one last lungful of fresh, clean air. Then his gasps became shorter & shallower, before finally turning to warbled gurgles as he began choking on his own fluids. After a last vain struggle for a hold on the life that had escaped from him, Cass finally dropped onto the filthy stage floor, blood seeping from his mouth & nose as his body stiffened & his eyes were frozen open in an eternal state of dread.

When he was satisfied that Cass was dead, Billyboy snickered & spat in the murdered minion's face, before giving the body a swift, but mighty, kick & watching it roll off the stage. "He was a greenie, anyway," Billyboy said, showing no remorse at what he had done. "The last thing I need is a goodie-two-shoes Irish-Catholic in my gang..." Whistling cheerfully, Billyboy strolled back to his throne & sat down, taking the time to smoke yet another cigarette. "Now," he asked after a long while of piercing silence, "what was I talking about just before that nasty little interruption?"

"You were talking about Angela," another thug with a scar over his eye piped up. "Remember, boss? You saw her this morning, & she was with that Alex chap we used to pick on every day when we were kids."

Upon remembering the reason for his earlier outburst, Billyboy's face grew sullen with bitter anger, & the spark of fury in his eyes became present once more. "So I did, Ira. So I did," he said gruffly, puffing on his cigarette a few more times & then extinguishing it. "I knew I couldn't trust that bitch," Billyboy snarled as he paced the floor fervently. "Not only did she run away—totally disregarding the fact that I practically sold my soul to kiss her ass & make her happy—but she just _had _to side with that little pipsqueak Alex! But what the hell would she want with a runt anyway?"

"Yeah, she had to run away & fall in love with Alex," a thug named Yancy agreed blindly with a simpleton's smile & a nod of his head, "when she could've stayed with us & had a fine guy like you, Billyboy!"

"You're damn right, Yancy," Billyboy snapped, taking a moment to spit onto the floor. "She could've been mine! And why wouldn't she have wanted to be? After all, I took care of her in her darkest hour! I gave her clothes, food, & a roof over her head. The least she could have done was to go to bed with me every night. That's all I really asked for!" He spat again, sporting a look of great loathing on his ugly face. "Well, that bitch is gonna get what's coming to her, one way or another. I'll see to it, God damn it!"

"What about Alex?" Ira brought up. "He needs to learn his lesson, too, don't you think?"

Billyboy glowered even more when he heard that foul name being mentioned. "You'd think that little shit would have learned his lesson every day for the past 7 years! All the beatings, the schoolyard fights, the little pranks we pulled on him, those hate messages we put in his backpack...they would have been more than enough to make a kid piss himself! I'm surprised Alex didn't end up going to the psychiatrist _again_ after that one visit!"

The gang leader took a moment to puff on yet another cigarette he had just lit. "But then again, he was one of our easier targets. He was homely, he didn't utter a fucking word, & his grades were so poor that he even made the retards look smart! He didn't have any friends at all...until those three misfit bastards started siding with him in 1st grade. And Alex stuck to them like glue, especially Georgie...but as they say, birds of a feather flock together. Though Dim would probably be too fat to fly..." he added snidely under his breath.

"Alex may have friends now that have been helping him kick our arses for another 6 years, but Angela's not gonna be one of them!" Billyboy swore with grim determination. "Mark my words, I will get that whore back where she belongs if it's the last thing I fucking do! But in the meantime, I have a series of certain little plans that shall make Alex & Angela's lives a bit more..._exciting_..." As the gang leader discussed his "plans" with his henchmen, the teenage scoundrels burst into fiendish laughter...but it was Billyboy that laughed the loudest & most ruthlessly of all.


	4. A Blossoming Romance

**A SPARK OF GOOD**

AUTHOR'S NOTES: All "Clockwork Orange" characters are property of Anthony Burgess, except for Angela, who belongs to me. I give many thanks to my dear friend Diane N. Tran for providing her ideas for this fanfic, which would not have been possible without her kind assistance.

Enjoy the story. I welcome all reviews, so long as they're not flames.

* * *

Chapter 4:

A Blossoming Romance

"_Angela, my darling!"_

"_Mon amour, we're here now!"_

_She found herself in a beautiful, butterfly-filled garden, decorated with all sorts of flowers & lush green grass. The bruises from her body had vanished, & Angela's silver cross necklace shone in the brilliant sunlight as she closed her eyes in a moment of disbelief, only to open them again. She looked down & smiled as she saw her favorite childhood dress, a frilly gown of pink chiffon, adorning her tiny person. Then Angela heard the voices she had longed to hear again; as she happily shouted the names of her parents, she dashed to embrace them, & the reunited family hugged as though they would never let go._

_As she lingered in the safety of her parents' loving arms, Angela couldn't help but cry tears of joy, as cherished memories & long-ago feelings flooded her mind. With a warm smile, her mother gently wiped her daughter's tears away, only tightening her embrace as she whispered, "It's all right, Angela...it's all right." The young girl never wanted this wonderful moment to end. Surely, it couldn't have been a dream; it felt so real to her..._

_After what seemed like an eternity had passed, Angela parted from the hug only for a minute, just to register the remarkable event that had occurred. Her pretty face quickly looked shocked as her parents disappeared in clouds of smoke, & Angela took the form of the innocent child once more as she scampered around the garden, looking vainly for her loved ones. "Mama?" she called anxiously in a small voice. "Papa?"_

_At once, the beautiful garden became ugly & black, as the flowers wilted & the butterflies dropped dead to the browning grass. The little birds that had been chirping their spring song instantly became silent, & a dense fog began to settle upon the remains of a wonderful life that had been destroyed, a shattered existence that could never be rebuilt. The miasma, thick & tinged with a red hue, surrounded Angela & had a stifling grip on her as its foul-smelling toxins tainted the air around her._

_Even as she gasped & gurgled for breath, Angela could see, much to her horror, that the mist stained her gradually-uncovering skin with a sticky liquid that shared the fog's deep crimson color. When Angela put her hand to her mouth to identify the scarlet fluid, her heart almost stopped in her chest. Realizing that it was the taste of her parents' blood that was filling her mouth with its foul, metallic flavor, Angela's mind began reeling & frightened thoughts pounded through her head like the thundering of horses' hooves, before coming to a stop altogether. Blackness was closing in. She couldn't breathe. The end was coming, coming, coming..._

_During the state of blindness that followed, a searing pain shot through Angela's nerves, & blood streamed out of her womb, trickling down her bare legs as she felt a suffocating pressure being put upon her frail frame. The raging fire blazed again & again with increasing agony, until a creamy paste invaded her insides & it was all over. Immediately, Angela's eyes opened...but now she was plummeting through an endless sky, as her panicked pleas for someone to catch her echoed across the valley of puffy pink clouds, bathed in the sun's golden glow. Angela felt as though she must have fallen forever, before she felt someone's arms wrapping around her as she was carried higher & higher into the heavens._

_When Angela was finally placed on a cloud & her rescuer turned to face her, the girl took a good look at him, quickly becoming immersed in a feeling of delight once she recognized who he was. Though his locks of fair hair were adorned with a radiant yellow halo, a glistening white robe covered his person, & feathery wings jutted from his back, the figure's crystal-blue eyes & warm smile were all-too familiar to her._

"_Angela, my dearest," Alex whispered reverently as he took the girl in his arms & his wings folded around them both, shielding them from the pain & sorrow that had afflicted their lives. "You're safe now," Alex consoled Angela, planting tender kisses upon her face & hair. "My darling friend, I will always be here for you...I'll be here to comfort & protect you from all that plagues your heart & mind. I will never leave you, Angela. We'll be together forever..."_

"_Together forever," Angela echoed, smiling as she lingered in Alex's loving embrace. The girl giggled as Alex's lips brushed against her ear & tickled it; his hands fingered the slender silver chain of Angela's necklace as though it were made of moonbeams. "Oh, Angela," Alex whispered again in a voice filled with desperate longing, "please say that you'll be mine. Promise that you will always love me until the end of time, just as I love you now!" He grasped the necklace's cross charm in his palm, indicating the true passion he felt for Angela._

"_I will, Alex," Angela replied, smiling as she closed her eyes & leaned in to place her lips upon his. "I will love you forever & always." As Alex & Angela shared sweet, tender kisses & their gentle embrace became more powerful, they slowly began to waltz amidst the velvet ocean of pink-&-gold clouds, letting a chorus of heavenly instruments from above provide the harmonious music for their romantic dance..._

_

* * *

_

_Am I really sure that I was dreaming? _Angela pondered to herself with a wistful smile, lost in her own thoughts as she sat in the flatblock courtyard. The snow was beginning to melt, as pretty flowers popped out of the white powder, filling the drab scenery with much-needed color as the silver clouds drifted lazily across the azure sky. Though March was less than a month away, springtime was already heralding its arrival, & the citizens of Elstree were moving on past the events of before. For Angela, those words held a deeper meaning; not only was it the beginning of a new season, but it was also the start of a new life for her. Like the sun that shone down on Angela with its warm radiance, her future looked bright, & the clouds of her own winter storm would soon be swept away...

"Angela," a voice called out, "heads up!" With a gasp of surprise, the girl quickly snapped out of her thoughtful state & ducked out of the way, as a baseball hurtled towards the spot where she had been sitting. The moment he saw Pete dashing to the courtyard steps & catching the ball in his glove, Dim pouted in disappointment. "I'm out _again?_" the portly boy complained as he tossed down his baseball bat in annoyance. "No fair, that isn't!"

"Funny," Angela commented, "I didn't know baseball was played in England."

"Rugby's what we're known better for," Georgie replied as he got Dim's baseball bat, & then offered it to Angela. "Wanna play with us?" he asked, smiling.

"Oh, that would be most _magnifique!_" Angela said excitedly, returning the grin as she took the bat & went to home base. Once everyone had prepared for the next inning, Angela prepared to swing, but Alex stopped her. "What hand do you normally use?" he inquired.

"My right," Angela replied, looking puzzled. "But what does that have to do with baseball?"

"You're supposed to swing with the blunt part over the side where your writing rooker is," Alex said, going behind Angela & moving her arms to the right as he helped her get the bat into position. "Now," the boy coached, "make sure your hands grip the handle tightly...oh, move them a _bit_ lower, Angela...very good. Now, pull the bat as far back as you can, so you'll have more momentum." Angela did so, & Alex smiled as he patted her back encouragingly, before wishing her luck as he went to the steps to watch her. Everyone assumed their positions, & once Pete called for everyone to play ball, the 9th inning began. "Come on, Angela!" Alex cheered. "Knock that bratchny of a ball right out of the park—er, courtyard!"

With that, Georgie made the pitch, & Angela took a swing, but missed. "Strike one," the boy in the top hat smirked. When Angela failed to hit the baseball again & strike two had been called, she gave a determined pout as she gripped the bat even more tightly & prepared to give it her best shot. The ball came forward, & everyone made sounds of amazement as it bounced off the bat with a mighty crack. Angela couldn't help but watch it soar into the air...that is, until Alex called for her to make a dash for it. "Run, Angela!" he cried. "Run like the wind!"

Quickly taking to her heels, Angela raced from base to base with a raging speed that would make a Tasmanian devil green with envy. She slid back to the home plate just a few seconds before Pete had caught the ball & declared her to be safe. As the boys went up to Angela to congratulate her for her marvelous performance, the girl couldn't help but smile as she basked in their compliments. It was Alex's words of praise, though, that made her feel the happiest.

Suddenly, the cheering & revelry came to a halt as the front door of Alex's house opened; Sheila stepped out onto the porch, donning a red plastic dress & overcoat with a matching pillbox hat over her purple hair. "Angela, honey," she called cheerfully, "come along with me & Alex to the mall! There's a set of fresh new clothes with your name on it!"

Once the DeLarges had taken the speed-bus across town & arrived at the local shopping center, Angela couldn't help but marvel in childlike amazement when she saw what was inside the _Très Trendy_ clothing store. Multicolored jewelry & scarves hung from display racks, & all sorts of lovely fashions, from spangled jackets to the latest designer boots, were seen every which-way. The mere sight of it all was enough to impress anyone, & Angela quickly sorted through the aisles, asking Sheila for advice on the best purchases to make (& considering that the DeLarges planned on keeping her with them for a long time, she definitely felt she would need it).

After quite a while of browsing, Angela was satisfied with the wardrobe she had picked out; all the most beautiful clothes & accessories imaginable (including more than a dozen rainbow outfits!) would soon be hers to own. Before Sheila took everything to the check-out counter, though, Angela had found a last-minute addition. When she came out of the dressing room in a long white skirt & a matching blouse, everyone in the store turned to stare at her in awe of her stunning looks, which was only made more noticeable with the outfit she wore. In fact, Angela loved the skirt & blouse so much, she simply couldn't bear to take them off; so once everything was paid for, Sheila, Alex, & Angela left the shop with their bags of clothes in hand, as Angela proudly wore the final purchase.

* * *

"Angela," Alex complimented his friend just after they had put up all her clothes in the room they shared, "did I mention that you look absolutely _ravishing _in that outfit?"

"_Oui, _Alex," Angela answered coyly, as her tiny cheeks turned a deeper shade of scarlet. "You've told me that over 10 times since we left the mall, & I _still_ haven't stopped blushing! Oh, my handsome king," she quipped, "your fair princess is not worthy of such divine praise!"

Alex had to laugh, too, as he went up to Angela & playfully boxed her tiny ears. "_Au contraire, mon __cher..._you deserve every bit of it." Angela's gleeful giggles became more hysterical as Alex kissed her cheek & then wrestled with her on the bed, tickling her relentlessly as he had done just the morning before. "Say 'uncle'!" Alex commanded, as his fingers of fury danced rapidly across Angela's tummy.

"Never, you vile fiend!" Angela retorted between joyous peals of laughter. "I'll not go down without a fight!" Finally, when Alex had tickled her until he could no more, Angela gave up. "Uncle!" she cried, as her squeals of merriment slowly subsided & she wiped tears from her eyes. "You win, Alex..."

"Not so fast, little missy!" Alex said with a sly smirk as he whipped out a small camera. "Think you could mind posing for Snap here?" When Angela had made herself look presentable, Alex placed his finger on the shutter, & once the picture finished printing, he & Angela took a look at it. The camera had perfectly captured the girl's smiling face, as Angela's deep blue eyes sparkled & the rays of the afternoon sun shining through the window gave her curly hair a bright golden glow.

"What did I tell you, Angela?" Alex said with another smile as he gave his friend a quick hug & kiss. "You're a peach!" Hearing these sweet words from her dear chum made Angela return the smile, as she blushed once more & she chuckled bashfully. Suddenly, she perked up as a poster on the wall caught her eye. "Who is that man, Alex?" Angela asked with an inquisitive stare, going over to inspect the figure in the picture. "He looks very familiar..."

"That, _mon chérie,_" Alex replied with a reverent whisper, "is the greatest musician of all time."

"Ludwig Van Beethoven," Angela read slowly from the caption underneath the portrait, before gasping in recognition. "Oh, now I remember him! Mama always used to play his Moonlight Sonata to help me sleep when I was a _petite bébé_...that is, when she wasn't using 'Fur Elise' as a lullaby."

"I grew up on Ludwig Van," Alex said, his eyes staring wistfully at the wild-haired composer. "When I was a little boy, Mom & Dad encouraged me to listen to his music as much as I could. The first time I heard his work, I was instantly hooked on him." A bitter frown, though, appeared on Alex's face as he added, "Unfortunately, my passion for Ludwig Van was just one of many things that earned me ridicule during my grammar school days...& still, Mum & Dad begged me to keep listening to the guy, even when I told them about the beatings those dumb bullies gave me every day..." He sighed sadly. "It's no wonder I turned out to be such a weirdo."

"Oh, _pauvre cher,_" Angela cooed sympathetically, "don't say that! You're not weird at all—you have a great taste in music that others just don't seem to appreciate." With a loving gentleness, Angela took Alex's hand in hers, & her eyes sparkled as she gave a sweet smile & asked, "So, what's your most favorite work by Beethoven?"

"The Ninth," Alex replied, returning the grin as his voice became more impassioned with each ecstatic word he spoke. "I love the Ninth more than any other symphony he's done...it's so beautiful to hear, Angela! The Ninth uplifts me, it inspires me...it gives me hope. It renews my faith in life, &, if only for a moment, tells me that there is a bright, wonderful side of it! Whenever I hear it, I'm suddenly filled with the courage to move past all the horrible things that have happened to me, & I...well, why don't I just show you what I mean, my dear?"

Immediately, Alex got off the bed, & after going over to his turntable, he placed a record upon it. The tonearm made its graceful landing, & once the vinyl began spinning, a beautiful melody of violins & cellos drifted throughout the bedroom like a euphonious breeze. When the music crescendoed & the rest of the orchestra abruptly joined in the number, Alex placed his fingers ever so gingerly upon Angela's eyes, & then he lowered their soft, delicate lids until the blue orbs were hidden from view. "Close your glazzies, Angela," Alex whispered reverently as he carefully drew his hand away. "Feel the music coursing through you...let your mind wander...relax..."

For the next few moments, as the Ninth continued to play, Angela became lost in thought, as beautiful images filled her mind. Just as the jubilant chorus began singing the Ode To Joy, Angela quickly opened her eyes to see Alex. His eyes were closed, & as he took in the choir's sounds of _freude, __schoner, _& all the rest, he entered a state of utmost calmness & his face became frozen in a placid smile. Indeed, the symphony's uplifting charm had worked, & by the time the Ninth came to a triumphant end & Alex went to turn off the record, Angela could see that the spark of pain in his eyes was no longer present.

"It's no wonder you love to hear it so," Angela finally said in an awed half-whisper, as a look of marvel spread across her face. "Mother always did tell me that music had the ability to heal...but I've never actually experienced that power, until now." She stared into Alex's eyes with a deep gaze, as she held hands with him once more. "You never fail to make me happy, Alex. You & your family have done everything to make my life easier, after all the hell I've gone through...& I simply don't know how I can ever repay you for your kindness."

As Angela's lips brushed against his cheek, Alex felt himself blushing a deep red, & when the two youngsters noticed, they burst into peals of amused laughter. The giggles quickly subsided, though, as lonely drops of rain began pattering against the window. "Alex," Angela quivered fearfully, "the storm is here! Hold me!" The moment he felt his friend clinging fiercely to his body, Alex laughed again; when Angela stared at him in puzzlement, the boy tried hard to calm himself down. "Sorry, Angela," Alex apologized as his chuckles ebbed, "but you really don't need to be afraid. The rain isn't going to hurt you."

"And how do I know you're not fibbing?" Angela questioned with a dubious stare.

"I'll tell you what, Angela," Alex said with an impish smile, "let's go outside & play for a while. If anything happens, I promise to take you back inside."

It took a few seconds for Angela to consider Alex's proposal. "Hmmm...I suppose I can consent to your terms," she finally said as she grasped his hand in hers & gave it a hearty shake. "It's a deal, then."

* * *

The raindrops fell upon Alex & Angela like a refreshing cascade, as the two friends walked into the flatblock courtyard, dotted with slush-filled puddles. The flowers that had been peeking from the snow just a couple of hours before had closed their colorful blossoms, waiting patiently for the sun to come out from behind the clouds as the rain they needed to flourish trickled gently into the soft dirt & replenished the tiny blooms. Though the people passing by carried on with their business & did not hear from underneath their umbrellas, Alex's sharp whistling echoed through the courtyard. Once Angela heard the first few notes & recognized the tune, she smiled in astonishment.

"_Mon Dieu,_" she gasped, "you love that movie, too?"

"I really don't remember it, actually," Alex replied with a sheepish look on his dampening face. "I only saw it once, when my parents took me to see it at a film festival, but I loved it! I've never forgotten the song Gene Kelly performed..."

As Alex & Angela began their rendition of "_Singin' In The Rain_", their voices rang together in a cheerful harmony as they danced & cavorted in the storm, leaving their cares behind in the sheer joy of those frivolous moments. Once the last few notes were sung, Angela was about to make her way off a ledge, but she gave a yelp of surprise when she slipped in a puddle & lost her footing. She would have fallen, had not Alex quickly dashed over to catch her in his arms.

"Alex," Angela sighed with relief, "_merci beaucoup! _Thanks so much for saving me!" Before he could say anything, Alex immediately felt his friend's arms wrapping around his neck & bringing him in for a kiss. For a while, he was too stunned to speak, but he finally returned Angela's smile & said, "You're welcome."

The moment that Alex & Angela had gone back into the house, Philip & Sheila scolded them for getting all wet, & after their damp garments were removed & placed in the dryer, the preteens were given a set of clean nightclothes. "Be sure to put them on _after_ you have a nice, hot bath," Sheila said with a genial smile as she led Alex & Angela over to the washroom & then left to prepare dinner. Once they were finished taking their baths & had their evening meal, Alex & Angela brushed their teeth, said their prayers, & crawled into bed.

After Sheila & Philip had tucked Alex & Angela in & kissed them "goodnight", the two friends lay in the darkness of the room they shared, snuggling up together under the covers as they indulged in the sweet silence of the night. Angela smiled gently as Alex kissed her pretty face & petted her soft blonde hair, whispering to her about how happy he was that she had come into his life; Alex was no longer ashamed to admit that he loved Angela's company more than anything, & oh, how he wished that he could talk all night with his beloved friend, just to hear her beautiful voice. But he knew, of course, that his little butterfly would have to fold her wings for the night.

"Alex," Angela asked softly as she nestled in the warmth of her friend's arms, "would you tell me a bedtime story, like _mon chérie mère _used to do?"

Alex scratched his chin in thought for a moment, & then smiled again at her. "Very well," he said. "What story would you like me to tell you?"

"It doesn't matter, really," Angela replied. "So long as it's a good one."

With that, Alex cleared his throat softly & began the tale. "Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there was a princess named Angela. She was the fairest & most beautiful girl in the whole world, &

all the people in the land couldn't stop talking about how wonderful she was. Princess Angela was friendly & kind to everyone she met, she was cheery all the time & was never seen without a smile on her pretty face, & her voice was so beautiful, it could lull an ogre to sleep!"

"Tell me more, Alex," Angela murmured contentedly, snuggling with her friend some more.

"Of course...well, one day, Princess Angela was bored & had nothing to do. So she left the castle & went outside to pick pretty flowers in the valley not too far away from where she lived. It was a beautiful spring day, & Princess Angela enjoyed the feelings of the warm breeze blowing gently across her skin & the droplets of dew from the grass landing on her tiny toes. In fact, Angela had so much fun picking flowers that she didn't see a mean, scary dragon swooping towards her, desiring to have Angela as his companion."

"Oh, dear!" Angela gasped.

Alex continued his tale: "Princess Angela was snatched up by the dragon & taken to a deep, dark cave on an island far, far away from the kingdom where she lived. The dragon forbid Angela to leave her prison & kept close guard over her every day, commanding her to sing & dance for him; at night, though, when the dragon was asleep, Princess Angela would sneak outside & linger on the island's sandy beach, gazing at the stars with sad eyes as she thought about how much her mommy & daddy, the king & queen, would be missing her. On one clear evening, Angela saw the brightest star twinkling in the sky, & she made a wish upon it that she would be able to return home to her parents.

"The very next morning, a brave knight by the name of Sir Alex was traveling to the dragon's island, seeking a little excitement for the day. As Alex passed the cave, he heard Angela singing to the dragon; the very moment he heard the princess' beautiful song, he became smitten with Angela & thought dreamily of how wonderful it would be to have her as his bride. Meanwhile, when Angela had finished singing, she became sad & began to cry. 'I miss my mommy & daddy!' she sobbed. 'How I wish I could go home & be with them again!' The dragon refused to let her leave, however, & to ensure that Angela didn't escape, he imprisoned her in a giant crystal ball. The only way Angela could get out of the orb, the dragon said with a wicked laugh, was if she was rescued by a noble man who truly loved her.

"As it happened, though, Sir Alex had overheard what the dragon said, & immediately, he dashed heroically into the cave to try & rescue Princess Angela. Even when the dragon started attacking Sir Alex in the hopes of deterring his rescue attempt, the brave knight nevertheless continued to fearlessly battle with the flying beast, determined to rescue Princess Angela at all costs. When the dragon was finally vanquished & Sir Alex had shattered the glass prison, Princess Angela tumbled into the knight's arms with a cry of surprise. When Angela finally gained her bearings & looked into her rescuer's eyes, she smiled & kissed him gently on the lips, thanking him for saving her from harm.

"With that, Sir Alex brought Angela back to her parents' castle on his magical flying steed. The king & queen were indeed happy to see their beloved daughter once again, & after a tender family reunion, they immediately decided to throw a grand banquet commemorating Princess Angela's safe return. Everyone in the kingdom was invited to the party, & the royal family & their subjects had a wonderful time as they partook in the merry festivities. When the days of celebration finally came to an end, Princess Angela asked Sir Alex to marry her, grateful to her rescuer for selflessly saving her life. Alex accepted her proposal, & not too long afterwards, the princess & the knight were married in an elaborate ceremony, with many blissful years awaiting them during their long & loving marriage."

By the time Alex had finished speaking, Angela was barely awake. The girl, who was still smiling in sweet serenity, murmured gently & yawned a bit as she looked up at Alex with drowsy blue eyes. "And they lived happily ever after?" she asked, her voice soft & quiet.

Alex nodded, returning the smile. "Right, right, right," he said, watching with a loving gaze as he watched Angela fall asleep in his embrace, snuggling against him while she lingered in her state of sweet slumber. As he held Angela close to his pajama-covered body, Alex gently caressed her golden hair & kissed her face, his mind full of tender thoughts. _I hope, my little princess, that one day I will be your handsome knight in shining armor. I pray that we will fall in love with one another & have our very own happily ever after. _The last words Alex whispered before he finally drifted off to dreamland were simple, yet spoken from the very depths of his soul: "I love you, Angela."

* * *

Over the next few weeks, winter swiftly ended with the warmth of March's first breeze, & the arrival of spring was welcomed with cheerful birdsong & the blooming of beautiful multicolored flowers. It wasn't long before April began, & on the fifth day of the merry month, the DeLarge home was filled with an air of great excitement & jubilant joy. The din of noisemakers & party horns came to a quick, quiet halt, & Alex, Georgie, Pete, Dim, & Philip sported bright smiles on their faces, as their harmonized voices performed a cheerful rendition of "Happy Birthday To You". When the song was over, everyone applauded as Angela blew out each of the candles on her grape-flavored birthday cake.

"How wonderful, Angela," Sheila gushed as she took a plastic knife & began cutting pieces of cake for everyone. "You've just turned 12 years old today! It won't be very long before you're a teenager."

"I know," Angela said as she took a plate & began to eat her serving of cake _a la _chips & candy. "I can hardly believe it myself."

"Most of us never really _feel_ old when we get to be of a certain age," Philip observed. "But in all practicality, Angela, age doesn't mean very much other than how long you've been on this here earth. I'm 43 years old now, & Sheila says I tend to act much more like a 17-year-old. Not that I really mind being a childish imp when the time is right for such," he said with a mischievous wink.

"Well, what about the other day, when our boss came over for dinner?" Sheila countered with a dry glare. "You & Alex started pulling all sorts of naughty little tricks on Mr. Dawson the entire time he was at the table, trying to have a nice meal with the family; it got to be so irritating for him that he got up from his chair & left faster than you could say 'psych'."

"Sheila," Philip said with a sheepish grin, "that's the whole point of April Fools' Day. And it wasn't as though we weren't fillying around with anyone else; you & Angela & the other boys got joked & poked & pranked & all that, but you never put up a fuss."

"That's because we weren't the ones who were docking the family pay after that immature incident," Sheila snapped, as she & Philip began getting into a squabble. Certain that the argument was over nothing but little adult nitpicks, Alex, Angela, & the other boys continued to laugh & chat merrily as they ate their cake & snacks.

"So when do we get to open the presents?" Dim asked eagerly, his eyes shining with anticipation.

Angela giggled in amusement & playfully boxed Dim's ears. "Silly, the presents are for _me,_" she said. "But I'd be more than happy to share them with you, if you'd like."

"That would be nice," Dim said with genuine sweetness as he blushed & his smile became bashful & flattered. "Thank you, Angela." The portly boy gave Angela a kiss on the cheek, & she, too, blushed with a coy giggle, before telling Dim he was welcome. Just then, everyone turned to face Georgie as they heard the sounds of his startled cry & of his cake falling onto the floor with a _sploosh_. "Drat it," the boy mock-swore as he picked up the old piece & threw it away. "And I hadn't even had a chance to eat it."

Angela stepped over to Georgie & offered her plate of cake to him. "Would you like my piece?" she asked politely, smiling pleasantly at Georgie. The boy paused for a second or two, before finally taking the cake in his hands & returning the smile. "Yes," he replied. "Thanks very much...I mean, _merci._" Even while he ate the slice of cake Angela had offered him, Georgie continued to smile at the girl, overcome with admiration for her simple act of kindness & generosity. Of course, any selfless deeds were the least Angela could do for a friend; being good-hearted & considerate was practically second nature for her.

"It's no wonder that her name's Angela," Georgie praised as he finished his cake. "She's so perfect in every way!"

"I'll bet she's gonna be the first of us to go to Heaven," Pete fawned with a doting gaze. "And St. Peter will be giving her wings & a halo the moment she arrives!"

"Now, boys," Sheila scolded lightly, "it's not good form to exaggerate."

"But it's all verily true, Mrs. DeLarge," Georgie said with a sincere, if somewhat saccharine, grin. "The birthday girl _does_ deserve a bit of praise, doesn't she?"

"Well...I suppose you're right," Sheila said with an agreeing smile, before scuttling off to the kitchen pantry. "You'll never guess what we have next for you, Angela," she said in a sing-song tone as she & Philip brought out differently-sized boxes in colorful wrapping, before placing them on the table. Alex, Angela, & the other boys cooed in fascination as they gathered around to gaze at the pile of presents.

"So which one are you gonna open first, Angie?" Georgie asked Angela with a wink as he gently elbowed her in the side. The girl scanned the pile of boxes, & finally pulled out the first present she would open, its box decorated with rainbow-adorned paper & a big blue bow on top. Angela gingerly tore at the wrapping paper until she could see what the present was—it was a vast collection of all sorts of brilliantly-colored Rainbow Toys.

As everyone else fawned in amazement, Angela took out a Rainbow Slinky from the box & began juggling it in her hands, her face brightening as she watched its spectacular spectrum of colors shift back & forth in a rapid, multicolored movement that dazzled the eyes & boggled the mind in a most delightful way. Then she put the slinky back in the big box of Rainbow Toys, which she gingerly placed onto the table. "Oh, this present is simply wonderful," Angela marveled. "_Très __magnifique!_"

"I hope that you enjoy playing with all of your new toys," Pete said cheerfully. "I made sure that I got the best, brightest, & most beautiful Rainbow Toys that I could find."

"I'm sure that I'll have lots of fun with them," Angela said, giving Pete a "thank you" hug & kiss. "_Merci beaucoup._" Pete chuckled bashfully & blushed as he told Angela that she was most certainly welcome.

Then Angela opened Dim's present, which she loved just as much as her first one; it was a framed picture of her, personally drawn by Dim himself & colored brightly with crayons. Though the artwork might have appeared to someone as scrawly & not very well-drawn, Angela saw a genuine beauty in the picture & absolutely loved it. Dim couldn't stop guffawing coyly when Angela complimented & thanked him for his simple gift.

Georgie then offered Angela the present he had gotten for her. "I think you're going to like this one as well," he said as Angela gently tore at the light-purple wrapping & opened up the box. The girl gasped in delight when she saw what was inside it: a bottle of lavender perfume, a lavender-colored nightgown, & a matching robe with slippers. "Oh, they're absolutely fantastic!" Angela exclaimed happily. "Thank you, Georgie!"

The last two presents Angela had received were both from Alex & either of his parents. "Why don't you open this one first, dear?" Philip suggested, handing Angela one of the remaining gifts. "Alex went with me to the music box factory at the mall the other day, & we both had this made just for you." Angela found an egg-shaped container covered in sparkling amethysts & diamonds. Then she wound up the key on the side of the music box & let out a coo of childlike astonishment as she watched the lid open to reveal a small pair of mouse figurines in dazzling evening attire. The miniature couple waltzed around gracefully as a tinny version of the "Moonlight Sonata" began playing.

When the song finished & the dancing mice were hidden from view by the closing lid of the music box, Angela gazed at the gift with shining eyes & thanked Philip & Alex for it. Now only one present was left on the table. "Mum & I worked on this together for you," Alex said as he offered the last box to Angela. "I really think you're going to love it." The moment she opened the gift, Angela's eyes brightened & her mouth gaped open in pleasant shock as she saw a stuffed bunny in a white dress smiling at her. Along with its soft peach fur, its cotton tail, its tiny button nose, & its long pink ears, it also had tresses of long blonde hair & shining blue eyes made of azure beads—just like Angela's.

For a moment, Angela was too overcome with joy to even speak, until at last she found her voice again. "_Mon Dieu,_" Angela gasped in utmost enchantment, "it's so wonderful!" Clutching the stuffed bunny in her arms, she turned to face Alex & Sheila with an astonished smile. "I don't know just how I can thank you enough for this," she said, quickly pulling in Alex & Sheila for a long, tender hug. "_Merci, merci beaucoup! _Thanks so very much for this wonderful gift!"

"It's no problem at all, Angela," Alex said with a sweet smile. "You only deserve the best." And as the merriment & the birthday festivities continued well into the early evening hours, the best was precisely what Angela had.

* * *

"_Raindrops keep drippin' on my hair, oh, they keep drippin'..._"

"Dim, you gloopy buffoon, that's not how the song goes!"

Holding her black umbrella in her withered hands to protect herself & the gaggle of five children from the drizzly April rain, Sheila rolled her eyes in mock-irritation as she listened to Dim & Georgie squabble. "Boys, no fightin'," the middle-aged mother reprimanded.

"We weren't fighting, Mrs. DeLarge," Dim said with a goofy grin, placing his pudgy hands in his pockets. "We were just...uh..."

"Debating!" Georgie finished, sporting the same smile as his eyes twinkled impishly.

"Well, whatever it is you're doing," Sheila admonished, "I suggest you not do it anymore." When the boys had apologized & promised not to argue, they continued on their way with Pete, Angela, Sheila, &...where was Alex?

Suddenly, everyone looked up in surprise as Alex slid through the puddles of rain-water on the sidewalk, getting everyone wet. "Come on, Em!" he shouted, waving his hand in a beckoning gesture. "Let's hurry home!" With that, Sheila & the other children rushed for their flat as quickly as they could, but when they got to the entrance, they stopped in their tracks as their eyes widened in great terror. An ominous, threatening message had been scrawled onto the front door, its jagged letters painted in red blood.

The boys did not know what to make of it. Finally, after scrutinizing the note for a long time, Dim asked Sheila in puzzlement, "Mrs. DeLarge, what's a 'slut'?"

"Never you mind, Dimitri," Sheila answered, anxiously pushing the boys into the house. "Now go upstairs, all of you, & don't come down till I say it's OK!" By this point, Angela had become incredibly upset & started to cry uncontrollably, clinging desperately to Sheila for support. "What is it, child?" Sheila asked, gently hugging Angela as she caressed her hair. "What's bothering you so?" When Angela did not reply & her sobs became more hysterical, Sheila was struck with pity for the poor girl. "Come upstairs with me," she said kindly as she escorted Angela into the flat, "& I'll give you some nice tea with cheese crumpets."

Alex stayed behind to take another look at the message on the door. The ensanguined threat made his blood run cold as he read it:

_**Don't even try & run away from me, you miserable, dirty slut. Because I **__**will**__** find you—& when I do, I'm gonna make sure you never see your precious Alex again.**_

_**P.S. I wonder if the little "love scratches" I left on your skin have healed yet...**_

****

****

**_

* * *

_**

****

In the room she shared with Alex, Angela was kneeling at the side of the bed, sobbing into her tiny hands. Her empty cup of tea & finished plate of crumpets lay at her feet. _Oh, God, _she thought miserably to herself as she drowned in her feelings of anguish & pain, _he knows! Billyboy knows that I've been living with Alex, & now I'll never be safe from him! He'll be around every corner, watching my every move as he plans to seek his revenge on me for running off with his archenemy...And Alex...what will he think of me now? He'll hate me! I'm certain he'll hate me...after realizing that his darling friend was involved with the bane of his existence! _Angela's sobs only became more hysterical as she thought of this. _Oh, Dieu, what am I to do? What am I to do?_

The door suddenly swung open, & Alex came in, looking more concerned & anxious than he ever had in his life. "Angela, are you OK?" The girl said nothing in reply. "Angela," Alex asked as he stepped closer to her, "what's wrong? What happened to you?"

"Nothing," Angela said with a shake of her head, as her tears spilled down her cheeks. "Nothing is wrong."

Alex stooped down beside Angela & gently took her hand as he tilted her chin until her gaze met his. "Remember what Georgie & Pete said the other day? You're an angel, Angela—that's what your name means. And angels don't lie." Alex caressed Angela's cheek to wipe away her stray tears, as his loving, but desperate, gaze became deeper & more intense. "Tell me the truth, Angela...what has been upsetting you? Who are you so afraid of? Tell me...tell me..." Alex's voice became a soft whisper, & he gently rubbed Angela's shoulders in a comforting gesture. Upon feeling the tender touch, the girl's face immediately became blank, & her eyes widened in utmost terror.

"Angela?" Alex asked, trying to get her attention. "Angela, listen to me!"

"_Listen to me, you little bitch...if you ever wanna live to see another day, you'll do exactly as I tell you—otherwise, you're gonna end up joining your dear old mum & dad..._"

"Keep away from me!" Angela shrieked, grabbing the empty plate & holding it up as a makeshift shield to protect herself. "You monster, leave me alone!"

Alex was completely puzzled by Angela's strange reaction. "Angela," he asked in confusion, "what's the matter?"

"_What's the matter, baby?" Those foreign fingers were poking & probing through her, as his grotesque, unclothed form pressed against her frail, quivering body, ready to make the first penetration. "You don't like the way I touch you?" His dirty, yellow teeth nipped at her naked skin, while he pried apart her nether lips & began pushing himself into her. "Come on, baby, you know it feels good..." Then a painful tearing of flesh, followed by a gush of blood & an agonized shriek. "You know you like it, you dirty whore...say it...you want more..."_

"No," Angela cried, shattering the plate & picking up one of the broken pieces, which she brandished like a dagger. "No!"

"Angela," Alex commanded, "put down whatever it is you're holding, & give it to me."

"_Give it to me...give it to me, you bitch!_"

Angela began shaking violently & sobbing as she clutched the makeshift weapon more tightly. When her palm had been pricked, Angela let out a cry of surprise as she dropped the plate piece; the jagged shard sliced her wrist as it fell to the ground. This time, instead of the usual gradual slippage into her placid trance, Angela instantly became unaware of everything & everyone around her. Her blue eyes became glassy & her flesh turned increasingly pale as Angela's wrist began bleeding profusely. The world started to spin, & everything Angela saw turned into a random, rotating muddle of vibrant colors & amorphous shapes. Whatever Alex was screaming, Angela could not make out; the darkness closed in, & she collapsed in a crimson pool of her own blood.

* * *

"_Angela..." The girl's eyes opened, & for a moment, she was shocked to realize she was still alive. Fog surrounded Angela, & she glanced around as she heard a strange voice calling her name. "Angela..." A bright light shone in the distance, & Angela began walking towards it in a daze, as the voice continued to call her name._

"Angela...Angela...Angela, wake up!"

The girl opened her eyes to find herself still alive & lying on Alex's bed, her injured wrist covered in white, blood-stained bandages. Alex, Sheila, Philip, Dim, Georgie, & Pete were gathered around the bed, gazing at her with looks of pity & concern. Alex's cheeks werered & puffy, an indication he had been crying for a while; the same could be said for Dim & Sheila, who continued to dab at her moist eyes with a handkerchief.

"What happened?" Angela moaned weakly, her head still reeling a bit from the disorienting events earlier.

"Angela," Philip said gravely, "you've been unconscious for over an hour. Alex said you cut your wrist."

Everything became clear to Angela once again. "But I...I..." She realized she could not offer an explanation, & she buried her face in her palms, sobbing softly. "Might I have a few moments alone with Angela?" Alex asked his parents & friends. "I need to talk to her about something personal."

"Of course, son," Philip said kindly as he led everyone else out of the bedchamber & into the living room. When the others were gone, Alex got onto the bed beside Angela, & he gentlyheld her hand as he gazed deeply into her eyes.

"Angela," Alex said solemnly, "why did you do this?"

With tears still streaming down her face, the girl shook her head as she denied doing anything. "I don't want to talk about it," she said. But Alex was not to be refused again. "Angela," he said, "do you remember what I said? Angels don't lie. I don't want you to lie to me about anything anymore; I know you're keeping secrets from me & the people you love."

"I can't tell you," Angela cried. "You'll hate me! You'll hate me!"

"No!" Alex protested, gently pulling Angela into a long, loving hug. "I could _never, ever _hate you, Angela, no matter what."

"And I still refuse to tell you," Angela said darkly, wiping at her eyeswith the sleeve of the sweater she was wearing. "Some secrets are meant to be kept, Alex. _Quelques__ secrets __sont signifiés être gardés._"

"But why must you lie to me?" Alex questioned Angela with desperation in his voice. The girl collapsed into his arms & sobbed. "You don't understand, _mon cher,_" Angela groaned tearfully. "You just don't understand..."

* * *

The afternoon sun was still hidden by storm clouds, & the sounds of thunderclaps & falling rain could still be heard as Billyboy sat in his throne, smoking cigarettes & sipping his brandy as he mused darkly about the person he had written the message on the door for. _Surely, Angela must have seen the note by now..._Billyboy sneered with most insidious delight as he pondered over what her reaction might have been. She probably fainted...but it was more likely that she screamed first. She must have screamed in utmost terror when she saw the message that Billyboy had scrawled onto the door with Cass' blood...& then she probably cried like a baby. Billyboy was sure as hell that Angela cried & cried until she could no more.

It wasn't long before Billyboy began picturing the scene in his mind. Angela must have been walking to the flat on that rainy morning (more than likely with Alex, that little whore!), stopping when she got to the front door. Then Angela would have taken one look, just one look, at the threat he had written, before collapsing to the ground & sobbing uncontrollably. The sounds of Angela's hysterical crying & her tearful shrieks of pain & agony began echoing in Billyboy's mind, filling him with an unholy ecstasy. As the sinister sensation coursed through his every nerve, the gang leader quickly reached into his trousers & began touching himself, grunting & groaning as the thoughts of Angela's pain increased his pleasure.

As he continued to masturbate, Billyboy recalled that first winter's evening when he had taken Angela to his bed—the night after he had kidnapped the girl & her family, raped Mrs. Westbrook, & then killed both of Angela's parents when he was done—all of these crimes committed in front of the girl's horrified eyes. When Billyboy had offered to give Angela food & shelter in compensation for her troubles, the girl couldn't bear to turn down his kind proposal. It turned out, however, that Billyboy's "proposal" was not so kind at all—he was only blackmailing Angela, allowing her the basic staples of life in exchange for the grueling hours of sexual agony he made her go through for the next three weeks.

Not that he cared—he loved hearing that little bitch scream in pain as he pounded & thrust into her, making sure that he was the only one who received any pleasure during the intense intercourse. Whenever he took Angela to his bed, Billyboy found that he felt even more bliss, such malicious bliss, from the little things he gave Angela as he raped her—those deep cuts & scratches, the wounds that oozed blood, the vicious "love bites" & the bruises he left on her flesh during passion-induced frenzies...the destruction of the gate to her womanhood...He remembered how Angela screamed & cried when he made that first penetration. It was extreme agony for her, but bliss—oh, such depraved delight—for him!

The thoughts of those sinful nights began charging every cell in Billyboy's brain, & his pleasure only increased further. Just before he could reach his peak, however, he was awakened from his state of gratification by the sound of the doors to the derelict opera house opening. Footsteps resonated across the empty chamber, followed by the silent pitter-patter of bare feet. "Hey, Billyboy," a familiar voice called, "guess who I brought to amuse you while the boys are out?"

"Oh," Billyboy said with an amused sneer as he saw his visitors arrive, "a dame for my evening? Good for you, Ira! Bring her in."

The scantily-clad prostitute reluctantly dragged her feet, trying to quicken her pace as Ira harshly tugged her onto the stage. When the gang member shoved his voluntary hostage to the floor & then left the area, the hooker landed in front of Billyboy & got on her knees, staring with wide, garishly-painted eyes at the delinquent. For a moment, as she gazed into his cold, sneering face, the prostitute was just a bit intimidated...but she quickly put on a brave, confident front & assertively rose to her feet, placing her ringed hands on her wide hips as she said in a husky whisper, "So, baby, what kind of services can I offer you tonight?"

Billyboy reached into his pocket & took out a handful of shiny new pounds. "What do I get for this much?" he asked, as his face took on a suave, roguish charm. When Billyboy considered his options & decided just how he wanted to be "served", he laid the prostitute down on an old mattress that rested nearby, unfastened his shirt & trousers, & straddled her. Just after Billyboy had made the first move, he began beating & biting the prostitute in a violent frenzy. The aghast hooker voiced her disapproval & pushed Billyboy off of her, adjusting her clothes as she took her handbag & prepared to leave.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Billyboy shrieked, his eyes blazing with rage as he started after the evening lady. When he received no response, the gang leader became even angrier. He was just about to grab the prostitute & stab her in the heart with his knife, but the moment he caught her, she kicked him in his sensitive area & dashed for the nearest shelter, screaming for help. At the risk of getting caught & possibly apprehended by the police, Billyboy dared not follow the hooker, & as he stood in the threshold of the opera house, he looked up with fury-filled eyes & an angry sneer at the cloudy skies, which began to emit cold drops of spring drizzle. He watched the rain fall like the tears he had seen Angela cry...before letting out a primal shriek of animalistic rage as he dashed back into the opera house.

"_You'll pay for what you did to me, you fucking bitch!_" Billyboy screamed, angrily pounding the walls & tossing furniture & junk in every direction. "_I'm gonna make you suffer for running off with that miserable bastard! I'll make your life an absolute hell—I'll make every damn moment for you an absolute nightmare, until you regret the day you were born! Let's see how much you wanna whore yourself to Alex after __that__, you tawdry, leg-spreading slut!_"

Finally, Billyboy staggered back onto the stage floor & collapsed on the mattress, totally spent. Though his body was tired, however, his soul blazed with incredible fury & his eyes continued to show that spark of wrathful determination. A truly evil smile played across Billyboy's lips, formed by the lines of hideous yellow teeth. "You hear that, Angie?" he muttered insidiously to himself, but more so as a threat to the girl. "If you're not careful, you'll be joining your mommy & daddy very soon...but perhaps I should deal with Alex first, just to teach you a little lesson..."

* * *

The melodic sounds of robins' warbles & conversation resonated through the grassy, flower-filled park, as Alex & Angela strolled hand-in-hand down a dusty path shaded by tall, leafy trees. As they lingered in the simple joy of their May ramble, the two tweens laughed & giggled as they cheerfully discussed over different subjects, chatted idly about youthful prattle, & told each other wistful stories of long-ago events.

"How I love the springtime," Angela sighed dreamily as she gazed fondly at the pretty park landscape, watching the birds fly by & feeling the warmth of the sun's rays on her skin. "It's my most favorite season in the whole year." Angela began to dance around, watching the lush, beautiful scenery whirling before her eyes. "After the bitter winter's cold winds die away & the chilly white snow melts onto the ground, the sun comes out & brings warmth & happiness to the land, as the flowers bloom & the animals wake up from their long sleep to the greeting melody of birdsong."

"That was beautiful," Alex complimented. "I didn't know you could be so perceptive...I mean, poetic."

"I may be a poet," Angela quipped, "& I don't even know it." The girl & Alex giggled like toddlers at the silliness of the unintended rhyme, before continuing on their way as they resumed their jovial conversation. After a while, Alex & Angela stopped & sat at the edge of a crystal lake, decorated with floating lily pads.

"Hey, Angela," Alex said as he spotted a straying pad drifting towards them, "could you hold still for a couple of seconds?" He took the water lily, plucked the flower from it, & carefully tucked it into Angela's hair behind her ear. "Ta-da!" he cheered, smiling like a magician who had just pulled a bunny out of his hat. "Why don't you take a look?" asked Alex, gesturing to the surface of the lake as Angela leaned over to stare at her reflection. Her face sported a look of pleasant surprise as she saw her mirror image with the blossoming white lily in her hair staring back at her from the crystal waters.

Angela turned to face Alex, & the moment their gazes met, the two friends broke into smiles. "It's beautiful," Angela whispered as she wrapped her arms around Alex & gave him a great big hug. "Thank you!"

Alex, too overcome with sweet emotion, didn't know just how to react. The least he felt he could do was return Angela's hug, kiss her rosy cheek, & say, "You're more than welcome, darling."

* * *

That afternoon, Alex & Angela returned to their house. No sooner did they come through the front door & start taking off their shoes than Philip & Sheila arrived, looking quite excited as wide smiles appeared on their aging faces. "You'll want to put your shoes back on, children," Philip said, his eyes shining with anticipation. "We're all going out tonight!"

"Where to, Mr. DeLarge?" Angela asked, gleefully clapping her hands together like a child who had just spotted a motherload of presents under the Christmas tree.

After taking her purse from the kitchen table, Sheila went back over to Alex & Angela, stooping to their level as she waved some tickets in front of their brightening faces. "Remember that big theater show you wanted to see?" Sheila cooed. "Well, Philip & I managed to get tickets for all of us!"

"Let's hurry & get dressed!" Philip urged, ushering the children into their room so they could prepare for the evening's events that awaited them. "The earlier we arrive, the better!"

After Alex & Angela had put on some nicer clothes, they stepped into the living room, smiling & posing coyly as they modeled for Philip & Sheila.

"You two look positively adorable!" Sheila gushed, fawning over the two children & admiring their outfits. Indeed, Alex looked quite strapping in his dark-blue suit & his striped tie, & Angela was a sight to behold in her pretty rainbow dress with its matching multi-colored jewelry, opal charm necklace, & sparkling iridescent shoes. "I'm sure everyone at the theater will be showering compliments upon the both of you the moment they see you walk in!" When she had taken a closer look at Alex, though, Sheila winced a bit, & quickly fished out a small black comb from her purse. Alex fidgeted & fussed as his mother went through the tedious process of thoroughly combing his fair hair, but when Sheila was finally finished, the boy chuckled good-naturedly & kissed his dear mum on the cheek.

"Well," Philip said as he opened the door & gracefully gestured to the hallway, "shall we depart?"

Soon, Alex was just about to follow Angela & his father on their way out, but before he could take another step, Sheila stopped him. "Take just a few seconds to have a glass of this, son," she said as she offered Alex a glass of lemonade. "You haven't had much to drink today." With an impatient roll of his eyes, Alex took the cup & guzzled its contents thirstily, wiping his mouth when he was finished. As he felt the greenish-yellow liquid rushing down his throat & tasted the flavor that lingered in his mouth, Alex gagged a bit in disgust. The lemonade he had drunk tasted...well, he wasn't exactly sure _what_ it tasted like. Probably like bitter almonds.

"It doesn't taste very good," Alex said with a sickened grimace.

"Are you sure?" Sheila asked. "I put a whole cupful of sugar in that pitcher of lemonade...well, no matter. Come along, son; Angela & your dad are waiting for us."

* * *

Once Alex, Angela, Philip, & Sheila had arrived at the theater, they made their way through the lobby, showed their tickets to the ticket lady, & then took their seats in the crowding auditorium, which echoed with the excited whispers & hushed chatter of the other theater-goers. Angela & Alex only became even more excited when they heard the orchestra tuning their instruments; it wouldn't be very long before the show started.

"I'm so very excited," Angela whispered, her eyes shining with anticipation. "I'll bet this play is going to be wonderful!"

Soon, the theater lights dimmed, the audience quieted down, the curtains went up, & the orchestra began playing the overture music as the actors & dancers appeared on the stage, enthusiastically performing the grandiose opening number. From the spirited start of the show to its dramatic finale scene, Alex, Angela, & his parents watched every second of the play with fascination & great rapture. Just after the actors came in for curtain call & the audience gave the last of their vigorous applause, however, Alex clutched his stomach, groaning nauseously as he lurched in his seat.

"Son," Philip asked in concern, "are you all right?"

Alex swiftly put his hand over his mouth, stifling a retch. "I don't think so, Dad," he moaned, as his face turned green. "I think I need to throw up..."

* * *

_**30 minutes later**_

The sickening sounds of Alex's vomiting had been going on for a grueling half-hour, & as she heard her son gulp & retch, Sheila's face became lined with worry. "Perhaps I should go in there," she said, making a reach for the bathroom door. Philip, however, held her back. "You musn't venture into the men's room, dear, for obvious reasons," he reminded her. "I'll check on Alex instead." But Sheila, greatly concerned for her son, put up a fuss & insisted that she be allowed in to see what was wrong with Alex. When Philip tried to convince her that it wasn't a good idea, Sheila became defiant & started arguing with her husband.

Meanwhile, in the washroom, Alex was still hunched over the sink, throwing up as he never had before. The boy's stomach burned & churned, & his mouth felt as though it had swallowed a cup of blazing hellfire instead of the refreshing lemonade his mother had served him earlier. "What's wrong with me?" Alex asked himself weakly, looking down at the vomit he had just spewed into the marble sink. It was heavily stained with blood. Frightened at the sight, Alex quickly looked up until he saw his reflection in the mirror; the frail form that stared back at him had been rendered gaunt & pale from the debilitating effects of this strange ailment. His blue eyes were bloodshot & sunken, gaping at him from the glass surface.

"Oh, Bog," Alex whispered hoarsely, repulsed & horrified by the image of the sickly ghost he had become. "I've got to get back to Mum & the others!" When he made a run for the exit, however, Alex collapsed & fell to the polished floor, feeling disoriented as the world around him began to spin & swirl. Amorphous, abstract shapes, bright flashing lights, & churning colors were all Alex could see as he crawled on his hands & knees like a baby to the door, slowing down with each inch he traveled.

"I've...got...to...reach them...somehow," Alex muttered faintly, his rasping voice now barely audible as his body became weaker & weaker by the second. He felt a pair of invisible hands clutching tightly at his throat, cutting off the oxygen he needed to survive. Blackness was starting to overwhelm his brain, but Alex struggled with all his might to reach the door. His quivering fingers grasped the golden handle as though it were the saving hand of life, yanking it down as the weight of his body fell against the door & pushed it open...

By this point, Sheila & Philip's argument had evolved from a petty squabble to an all-out shouting match. The middle-aged parents didn't seem to care that they had attracted the attention of everyone in the hallway as they blindly continued to quarrel. Suddenly, a bloodcurdling shriek brought Sheila & Philip out of their bickering state; they turned their heads back to the bathroom door, just in time to see Angela shrieking in terror as she stooped over Alex's unconscious body.

"Alex!" Sheila cried as she rushed to Angela's side & leaned over her son, who stared back at her with empty, unblinking eyes. "Alex, son, wake up!" When she gently slapped his face to try & revive him, the boy began convulsing as he coughed out blood. "Oh, God, my baby!" Sheila shrieked in agony as she kneeled to the floor & cradled Alex in her arms. "My sweet, sweet baby!" Tears flowed down the mother's wrinkled cheeks as she kissed her son's hair, tenderly clasping his head to her chest.

"Call an ambulance!" Philip shouted, as some of the bystanders began scurrying to the nearest phone to dial for help. "Quickly!"

* * *

Within just a few minutes, Alex was transported to Elstree Hospital & rushed to the ER. Angela, Philip, & Sheila, however, had to stay in the waiting room until the doctor said otherwise. "Why can't I see him?" Angela cried, ready to burst into another spell of tears as she sat with Philip & Sheila on a dull, gray couch. "Why?"

Now calm & doing her best not to let her anxiety completely consume her, Sheila held Angela close & gently hugged the weeping girl, whispering words of comfort as she stroked her golden hair. "Shhh, my lambkin," she said softly. "Shhh..." Eventually, Angela ceased sobbing, & she did her best to calm down as she snuggled Sheila, squeezing her withered hand in a silent plead for consolation.

"We may have to stay here for a while, love," Philip said, "but don't worry. Hopefully, the doctor will be here soon to tell us all."

"Soon", however, gradually became a long, grueling blur of what may have been countless moments. Luckily, Angela, Philip, & Sheila didn't have to spend the time alone for very long. An hour after Alex had been checked into the hospital, three familiar figures entered the waiting room & joined Angela & the DeLarges where they sat. "What are you doing here?" Angela asked, puzzled by the suddenness of their welcome—if unexpected—appearance.

"Georgie, Dim, & I came to keep you company," Pete said with an empathetic smile, but looked sheepish & squirmed awkwardly as he offered his explanation for the boys' knowledge of the DeLarges' whereabouts: "We, uh...saw you exit the theater & take Alex into the ambulance. We were concerned about what was going on, so we decided to stay with you & see how our droog is doing."

"You're more than welcome to stay," Philip said, scooting over with Angela & Sheila to make extra room for the boys. "I just hope you haven't worried your parents sick by not telling them where you are."

"We made sure to call them before we came," Georgie said. "They said we could stay, as long as we return home when he's well." Then a thought struck him: "Is Alex OK, Mrs. DeLarge? What happened to him?"

"We don't know," Sheila answered, shaking her head. "The doctor hasn't reported to us yet." She sighed heavily. "What could be making my baby boy so ill? I'm worried that he may have some kind of..."

"Stop this talk, Sheila," Philip said firmly, placing a gentle hand on his wife's shoulder. "I'm sure Alex is going to be all right."

"But didn't I viddy blood on his face?" Dim asked, looking plaintive & anxious as he remembered the sight. "And he was so pale & thin...like a ghost. It scared me..."

"It's nothing the doctors can't cure," Pete declared confidently. "Right, Mr. & Mrs. DeLarge?" The beret-wearing boy smiled optimistically at the two adults, but then he became concerned when he saw the solemn looks on their faces & received no response from them for some moments.

"Only time will tell, Pete," Philip finally said. "Only time will tell..."

* * *

It wasn't long before the doctor finally approached Philip, Sheila, Angela, & the boys, whose hopeful smiles turned into frowns when they saw the grim expression on the doctor's face. "There is something I need to tell you concerning Alex," he said. "While it is horrible news, I must nevertheless pass it along it to you, as my job requires me to." The doctor's eyes were sad & bleak as he continued, "Your son has been poisoned."

The words hit Sheila with the force of a speeding car. "Poisoned?" she managed to stammer out, horrified that this could have happened to her child. "How did...?"

"We pumped his stomach as soon as he came into the ward," the doctor replied. "We found an unusual dose of cyanide in his body. While we were able to get the poison all out, there is still a good chance that it may have already affected him."

"_NO! _No, it _can't_be true!_" _Sheila screamed, clutching at the lapels of Philip's jacket. She would have done the same to the doctor were her husband not trying to restrain her. "Please, tell me there's some mistake!"

"I'm sorry," was all the doctor said. "We've put Alex on life support, & we'll be checking on him frequently. But as far as we're concerned, the damage to him is permanent."

Sheila did not speak for a few moments, but only stared at the doctor with a horrified, stunned gaze in response to his news. Then, with an alarming calmness, Sheila finally found her voice & asked with hesitation, "What are you saying?"

The doctor placed a tender hand on the mother's frail shoulder, gazing regretfully into her eyes. "Mrs. DeLarge, I know this isn't easy for you & your loved ones to hear, but I cannot lie to you," he said slowly & somberly. "Alex ingested cyanide, one of the deadliest poisons there is—two cups of the stuff would have killed him instantly. Your son was lucky enough to even last for 10 minutes, but his brain was greatly affected by the poisoning. Currently, he is in a vegetative state; there is an 85 chance that he will not recover, & even if he does, he'll more than likely have suffered irreversible mental damage. He may never be able to walk or talk again...& that's not even the worst that could come of this."

Even as she watched her world come crashing down around her, Sheila tried her best to remain calm, although her body shook with sorrowful sobs & she was on the verge of bursting into hysterics. Philip could barely keep tears from forming in his eyes. Pete, Georgie, & Dim were literally rendered speechless; they just didn't know how to react. Angela, however, was consumed with overwhelming grief; she had more than an inkling of who was responsible for poisoning Alex.

"That monster...I _know_ he's behind this!" Angela exclaimed to herself, her voice just above a whisper. When she saw Philip, Sheila, the doctor, & the boys turning to look at her in puzzlement, Angela cringed—she had spoken too much. "I said nothing," the girl lied, breathing a hushed sigh of relief when the others turned away to carry on with their morbid discussion about Alex. The adults & the children were completely unaware of the sorrowful tears that flowed down Angela's pretty face, as her countenance contorted in agony. Not wanting to make a scene in front of everyone, Angela silently got up from the couch & went into one of the hospital corridors. Now all alone, she collapsed against the wall & curled up like a defenseless fetus in the womb, rocking & hugging herself while she sobbed as she never had before.

_Oh, how I want to tell you the name of that evil fiend who hurt Alex! But I can't—for my own protection & for yours. If I utter so much as a single word about who he is or about all of the horrible things he did to me, he'll surely try to make sure those secrets remain hidden—& then, we'll never be safe from him...Oh, Billyboy, why can't you leave us in peace?_

The monster who had plagued Angela's darkest nightmares returned again, sporting an angry grimace on his cruel face. "What are you crying about now, bitch?" Billyboy asked, his harsh voice devoid of any emotion except pure spite. "You're throwing a bloody fit just because your little gigolo had some bad lemonade. Well, if he goes, the only thing that you've got to lose is a horny bastard to bang you."

Angela's sobs immediately quieted down & her pained face became flushed with anger. "How _dare_ you!?" she exclaimed in disgust, her breaking voice now a furious whisper. "You think you can just look back at the horrible thing you've done to my sweet Alex & laugh it all off like it was a sick, twisted joke?" When Billyboy snickered mockingly in response, rage overwhelmed Angela, & she snarled as she lunged at the heartless villain, pounding him with small, clenched fists. "How could you do this?!" she screeched, trying to conceal her sorrowful tears with an enraged expression. "You monster, how could you?" The girl gave into her feelings of distress & clung to Billyboy out of sheer desperation, staring at the rogue with moist, miserable eyes as her fingers frantically grippedthe lapels of his camouflage coat.

Billyboy's reaction to Angela's distressed inquiry was a callous sneer & a cold, cruel gleam in his dark eyes. The words that he spoke next revealed no remorse at what he had done: "Your sweet Alex deserves to die. From the very beginning, Angela, he was just using you, doing his best to kiss your ass & cater to your every whim while he kept trying to get you into bed with him. He never cared for you, you slut; he would have left you out on the streets to die, had I not given him that little message..."

Now confronted with this horrible realization, Angela's blood turned cold & her eyes widened in terror. "It _was_ you," she shuddered. "_You've_been doing all those things to me & the people I love!" Angela began to cry again, but she was quickly silenced when she felt Billyboy's gloved hand slapping her cheek. "Shut up, you whore!" the gang leader barked. "You just can't handle the fact that your little Alex is a lying, cheating bastard who has no place in his heart for a tawdry urchin like you!"

"No!" Angela cried out in denial, shaking her head fiercely. "No, it's not true!"

"He hates you," Billyboy snarled, sneering cruelly at Angela as his filthy, yellow teeth formed into a truly evil grin. "_He hates you! _He doesn't love you, you bitch! He never loved you, & he never will!"

"You're lying!" Angela shouted, on the verge of tears even as she attempted to hide her fear & pain. "I don't believe you!"

"It's _your_ fault, Angela! _You_ killed him!" Billyboy was attacking Angela with even more fervor, not hiding his ruthless intent to break her spirit. "You tempted him with your wanton ways, & you lured him to his death!"

"Stop!" Angela screamed as she sank into a corner & shielded herself, her façade of strength falling apart like a crumbling wall. "Leave me alone!"

"You'll _never _belong to him, Angela!" Billyboy screeched with insidious delight, shrieking the words in Angela's ear to make sure she heard every single one of them. "_Never! __Never!_"

Angela felt as though the overwhelming power of her stress & her grief would kill her, but then she finally opened her eyes & looked around in a surreal state of awe, unable to utter a word when she found herself huddled against the wall, all alone in the empty corridor. The only sounds Angela could hear other than her slow, heavy panting were the mewling of newborn infants & the usual noises of a delivery ward. Not knowing what to do, Angela got up & wandered through the hallway, before stopping & gazing into the big glass window of the hospital nursery. All around, babies of each color & gender were in incubators, wiggling around or resting peacefully as they snuggled with fuzzy blankets & stuffed animals.

Angela, who had always loved children, was immediately taken by the sight of the adorable infants & couldn't help but coo sweetly as she watched them from behind the glass. When her eyes locked on one incubator, though, her face fell & her heart grew heavy with pity. Inside, a baby girl in a pink nappy whimpered weakly as she lay on her back, her blue-colored body covered with suction-cupped wires connecting to ominous-looking machines that checked her vital signs. Much to Angela's sadness, the baby's health appeared to be very poor.

"You mustn't loiter around here, dear," a voice behind Angela spoke, startling her. "Aren't your parents waiting for you in the visitor's room?"

"I'm sorry, sir," Angela apologized to the male nurse, looking a bit embarrassed. "As I was walking by, I just couldn't help but see that poor baby in the incubator...the one with blue skin."

The nurse followed Angela's gaze until he saw the child she was referring to. "Yes," he uttered in recognition, "I'll be called to take care of her within a few minutes." The nurse winced uncomfortably when he spoke those words, & when Angela asked what was wrong with the baby, he could barely find enough inner strength to tell her the answer: "The baby, you see, was born awfully early, & her delivery was difficult. Her two most vital organs weren't functioning properly as a result, & the doctors said she wouldn't last a day. Even with the surgery we did on her heart, it's a miracle the child has made it this long...but unless her lungs can find a way to work correctly within the next few hours, I'm afraid all will be lost. The baby's parents have already arranged for a priest to come & give their daughter the last unction."

Angela took another glance at the baby, & then looked back at the nurse. "Is there any hope for the child?" she asked.

The nurse gave a sorrowful shake of his head. "The odds are overwhelmingly against her," he said darkly. "She probably won't stand a chance." After frowning compassionately for a few moments at the baby, the nurse adjusted his coat & headed for the nursery. "Now, if you'll kindly excuse me, I have to go tend to the poor dear. Don't worry about her, though; just go back to your parents & be glad you're still living your own life." And so the nurse left without another word.

Angela looked again at the blue baby in the incubator, becoming weaker with every move she made as she strained with effort to cry. The machines that monitored the infant's life signs were showing less & less activity, but even as she watched all this, Angela truly believed that there was still just the slightest bit of hope for the child. _The nurse said that the baby won't last another day, _Angela thought, _but I know the baby has a chance. Though her lungs are weak, she can still fight for her life; the very effort alone will make her stronger. _Angela frowned when she saw the nurse & his assistants tending to the languishing baby & vainly checking for an improvement in her health, but the girl held on to hope. _Be strong, little baby...you can make it. I know you can..._

It seemed certain that the infant would die in a matter of minutes. Then, just when the nurses had lost all faith & were preparing to cut off the baby's life support, the beep of the monitoring machines became faster & steadier. Everyone smiled & gasped in delight, turning greatly elated as they watched the miracle that was now unfolding. The baby's skin changed to its normal color, & as the child began squirming around & kicking her tiny little feet, she took her first wails of breath. The overjoyed nurse & his assistants went to alert the baby's parents of the good news, & as Angela lingered at the window to watch the happy encounter that took place, she smiled.

* * *

With each passing hour, though, Angela's belief in Alex's own survival began to waver little by little, & as she sat with Philip, Sheila, & her friends in the waiting room, her eyes were fixed on the ticking clock on the wall as she tried her hardest to keep her faith alive. _It can't be much longer! _Angela assured herself with persisting hopefulness. _Any minute now, Alex will wake up & be all right!_

"Angela," Dim said with a drowsy yawn as he stirred & took a moment to scratch his bum, "go to sleep...it's late."

"Dimitri," Sheila gently told the boy, "can't you see that Angela's worried about Alex?"

"I'm worried, too, Mrs. DeLarge. You know I really am, right?" Dim said, the honesty of his words betraying his tired voice. "I'm scared that Alex might not wake up, & that I won't ever be able to viddy my droog again. But thinking those messels makes me sad, & I just wanna sleep it off & make them all go away..." Now fearing the worst about Alex, the portly boy sniffled & sobbed, reaching into his pants pocket for a ratty old handkerchief to dry his eyes & blow his nose with. When Dim was finished, he stuffed the used tissue back into his pouch & tried to cease his blubbering, but to no avail. "I wish this was just a sneet, a bad dream I could wake up from...& then everything would be OK again."

Now unable to keep calm any longer, Dim collapsed against Sheila & wailed mournfully as he wrapped his stout arms around her frail frame, seeking her assuring embrace & her words of comfort. "It's all right, Dimitri," Sheila consoled the child, gingerly hugging him & stroking his hair as she rocked him. "Shhh...it's going to be all right, love."

But to tell the honest-to-God truth, Sheila was stunned that she could say such empty words of blind faith, cradling & comforting Dim as though he were still a defenseless babe in the safe security of his mother's arms...when she felt like a vulnerable child herself. Really, how could she know for sure whether Alex was going to be all right? The doctors said her son would probably never wake up from his coma—& even if he did, he would suffer extensive damage to his brain from the poisoning.

Sheila recalled all the things she & Philip did with Alex when he was just a wee tot—teaching him to speak his first words, feeding him in his high chair, helping him learn how to walk, showing him what all the colors & shapes were...They would have to start all over again, but there would be no joy in these events. Alex's happy babblings of "mummy" & "daddy" would be replaced with the sounds of their retarded son's guttural mumbling. There would be no need for Alex to learn how to walk again—he would probably be paralyzed & confined to a wheelchair. His mind would regress to the simple state it was in during his babyhood; any hope of him regaining his intelligence was all but in vain. And there was worse to be expected—Alex's incontinence problem would be incurable, he would have to be fed through a tube in his throat, he would...

Oh, Sheila could have died at the very thoughts of the unfortunate mishaps that would befall upon her son! Before the mother could stop herself, she was bursting into high-pitched sobs of hysterical grief; it was a wonder she didn't wake up Dim, who was now slumbering peacefully in her lap. "Oh, God!" Sheila wept, casting a martyred glance to the ceiling. "I can't take much more of this pain & misery! Oh, my beautiful baby boy...How will I ever go on, knowing what's happened to you?"

Sheila's uncontrollable cries of agony became louder & shriller, until she finally stopped, hoping to calm her poor, weary heart down before she received a stroke (which, at her age, could have been potentially damaging). Philip, Dim, Georgie, & Pete, astonishingly enough, continued to doze off on the couch; however, Angela had witnessed Sheila's outburst & was gripped with fear & anxiety, even though she tried to prevent her emotions from getting a hold of her & to hang on to whatever hope she had left.

"I'm sorry, Angela," Sheila apologized, drying her eyes with her hand as she made an effort to relax. "I didn't mean to scare you, sweetheart." She helped Angela onto her lap & held her, rocking the girl tenderly as she patted her head of soft golden curls. "But I really, truly am worried about my son." Sheila's tears began to fall once more, but her soft Irish voice was steady & she did not sob. "Alex means so much to me, Angela, as we all well know. He means more to me than anything else in the world...I'll never have another child like him."

"He's truly one of the most wonderful boys I've ever met," Angela said, her eyes twinkling at the thought of her friend's smiling face.

Sheila nodded her head sadly, nuzzling Angela to hide her tears. "And that's why I could never last a day without Alex..." She sniffled just a bit, but was determined not to let her feelings of grief & pain consume her as they had just a few moments before. "Angela," the mother whispered solemnly, "I need to tell you a story."

"A story?" Angela echoed, her curiosity piqued. "About what?"

"About me," Sheila replied, her wizened face sad & pensive. "You see, Angela, just a few months after Alex was born, I became very, very sick with...well, with what the doctors call ovarian cancer. My mommy bits had horrible tumors on them, & so I had to be taken to the hospital. The cancer had been caught just as it was starting to spread throughout my body; another day, they told me, & I would have been a terminal patient. But because I'd been infected so badly, I had to go to the hospital every afternoon while they gave me chemotherapy. The chemicals used during my treatment eventually killed off the cancer cells, & they were able to concentrate them in just the right spot..." She paused, heaving a painful sigh.

"What happened?" asked Angela, her face full of concern.

It was a while before Sheila spoke again: "The doctors were able to surgically remove the tumors, but in the process, they had to take out my eggs & my fallopian tubes. I could never have another baby." Sheila sniffled again, drying her eyes with the palm of her withered hand. "And even if the doctors had kept everything in, I would still have been infertile; the dosages of chemotherapy destroyed the organs I needed to conceive a child."

As her heart swelled with sorrow, Sheila clasped Angela to her chest, crying softly while she buried her face in her hair. "I felt as though I would die of grief when they told me the news. Overcoming the cancer seemed like a Pyrrhic victory at the time; even though I survived my battle, it didn't seem worth all the struggle, knowing that Alex was all I had in the world besides my dear Philip...& that if I ever lost my son, there was nothing I'd be able to do about it."

"But we musn't lose faith, Mrs. DeLarge," Angela urged. "Even on the darkest days, there's always a ray of light that shines through the clouds!"

"There's no hope for your kid," a gruff voice declared with a rude abruptness, startling Angela & Sheila & causing them to look at a stubble-chinned, well-dressed beggar sitting in a nearby chair, his dark, dreary face & eyes shaded by an old porkpie hat as he sipped broodingly from a juice tin filled with alcohol. "I overheard the doctors in the hallway; they said he wouldn't be waking up anytime soon." The beggar quickly put his gloved hand to his mouth, darting his eyes around suspiciously to make sure none of the hospital staff heard his hiccups or his slightly-slurred speech.

"Pardon my rudeness, sir," Sheila said, "but who are you to speak in such a manner?"

The derelict man glared at Sheila, Angela, & the others with a cynical glower. "And who are _you_ to assume," he countered, "that you know what's going to come out of all this? You say everything'll be fine & dandy, but then you're crying & blubbering like a street waif who just lost her parents & doesn't know what the hell she's gonna do next. Face it, miss—you don't know jack-squat about what's happening now, so you might as well brace yourself for the worst. The doctors are considering about asking for your go-ahead to pull the plug on your kid's life support; they say there's no use leaving it running for him if he's not going to make it."

"You don't know that!" Angela protested, her voice breaking. "How can you say such horrible things? Don't you have any hope in your heart?"

Not in the least bit confronted by the question, the beggar sighed heavily, & after taking another swig of liquor, he reached into his coat pocket & pulled out a tattered billfold with pictures in it. "You see this lass here?" the tramp asked, pointing to a photo of a little girl lying in a hospital bed, her glassy blue-violet eyes unmoving & her pallid body showing no sign of activity. "She went into a vegetative state over 7 years ago after she was hit by a car. All that time passed up till now, & she was lucky to not have to experience a lifetime of hardship & hell.

"First, the girl's grandparents died in an auto accident while on their way to see her; then a school shooting claimed the lives of many of the girl's friends. Her pet puppy was run over, her aunt succumbed to lymphoma, & finally, her father lost his job & was forced to take up residence with his wife in a crappy shack while they lost everything they had. Not too long after that, this same father took to the bottle, hoping to find a way out of his misery; instead, all the drinking ever made him do was lounge around, get hangovers, & beat & cuss at his wife. It got to be so bad that the girl's mother filed for divorce, packed her bags, & never returned. Hoping to find a cure for his ceaseless suffering, the lonely father only began drinking even more & ended up living on the streets, among the scoundrels & the strumpets.

"And all this time," the beggar said as he wiped a stray tear from his eye, "my daughter never woke up."

Angela frowned at the melancholy vagabond in pity, watching him sniffle & hiccup as he drank some more of his alcohol. It was plain to see that the gruff-faced hobo had given up his faith in everything he once believed in, now that he struggled just to survive while his aching heart & his sorrowed soul remained in the darkness of a once-wonderful world that had fallen into pieces around him. Yet while she understood why the despondent tramp maintained his gloomy views, Angela nonetheless believed deep in her heart that it was much too soon to give up on Alex. "But _monsieur_," she tried to encourage the beggar, "don't you think, just a little, that perhaps there's still some..."

"Hope?" the vagrant guessed with a dubious glower, sneering cynically as he took his last few sips of bourbon. "C'mon, lassie, be reasonable." He covered his mouth as he emitted a belch, & then haphazardly tossed the empty drink carton into a garbage bin. "Now if you don't mind," the beggar said curtly as he curled up on the chair & got comfortable, "it's quite late, & I have another day of agony & hell to go through tomorrow. I suggest you get some rest yourselves." The beggar closed his eyes & drifted off to uneasy sleep, moving & muttering in his slumber as his grubby hands clutched the picture of his unfortunate daughter.

* * *

The silvery rays of the pale moonlight shone through the curtainless window, illuminating the ghostly white walls of the plain, sparsely-decorated hospital ward. As Angela trudged quietly into the room & sat down in a chair at Alex's bedside, she looked at the boy lying motionlessly under the covers of his cot, his blue eyes closed in a peaceful state much like slumber. Yet though it would appear at first glance that he were indeed only sleeping, the painful truth was that Alex was teetering on the edge of a bottomless abyss; just one wrong move, & he would plummet into eternal darkness.

"Oh, Alex," Angela whispered sadly as she took her friend's cold, limp hand in hers & warmed it with her tender touch, "I want to believe that you'll wake up & be all right...but now I'm so close to losing what little hope I have." The girl gently cradled Alex's head in her tiny paws, caressing the silky locks of his fair hair & kissing his soft, pallid face. "I need you in my life, Alex," Angela pleaded, "now more than ever. Please don't die, darling..." She started to cry, but quickly dried her eyes; she knew she had to be strong, just like the little baby in the incubator, & Angela was determined to _stay_ strong no matter what. She couldn't let her fears or her tears get ahold of her this time. Not when a little whisper of faith could be the big difference between life & death for Alex.

But it was so hard for little Angela to be a big brave girl, as she saw the condition her friend was in. His chest did not rise with breath, his eyes did not open, & his pulse...could Angela even _feel_ it? _Stop it! _Angela reprimanded herself. _Alex has a chance! He can make it through this terrible illness...can't he? But what if the doctors are right? What if Alex never wakes up? Oh, Dieu, if he dies, I'll surely die with him! I won't be able to last another day without him at my side!_

Angela began to cry, but she struggled with all her might not to collapse into hysterics. As crystal teardrops flowed down her rosy cheeks, Angela took Alex's hand in hers again, & tenderly caressed his hair as she gazed sadly at his immobile body. "Please don't die, darling," Angela begged. "Please don't die...stay with me." The girl's sobs were soft & quiet as she stroked Alex's hand, feeling his fingers in her grasp. "Alex, _mon ami__ chéri_, please wake up. You need to wake up..." Desperate to hang onto the last of her hope for Alex's survival, Angela tried to keep her breaking voice steady as she began to sing...

_**S**__**'il vous plaît, mon cher, se réveiller  
**__**C**__**'est le temps pour saluer le jour  
**__**Essayer d**__**'ouvrir vos yeux bleus  
**__**Se réveiller pour moi, amour**_

_**Ne pas laisser ce poison vous tue  
**__**Surmonter le sommeil mortel  
**__**Chéri doux, rester avec moi  
**__**Et je serai votre angel**_

_**Votre sang est si corrompu mal  
**__**Vous êtes à deux doigts de la mort  
**__**Mais je chasserai l**__**'obscurité  
**__**Et les rêves doux que je apporte**_

_**Il blesse pour vous voir cette façon  
**__**Mon coeur fait mal avec douleur  
**__**Mon chéri, ne pas m**__**'abandonner  
**__**Sans vous, tout je peux faire suis pleure**_

_

* * *

_

_Alex woke up in a blackened field of hideous weeds & thorny bramble. His surprise to discover that he was still alive suddenly gave way to anxiety as he heard an ominous noise coming from a nearby thicket. Before Alex could prepare to flee from any danger that may have befallen him, he gasped & froze in fear as he saw a familiar figure emerging from the brush. The man, sporting a large, toothy grin, walked calmly towards Alex, before swiftly grabbing the boy into his arms & attempting to subdue his frantic struggles to get away._

"_Where have you been all this time, yes?" Mr. Deltoid asked in that sugary-sweet voice of his, "playfully" grabbing Alex's hair & tugging on it as he tightened his grip firmly around the terrified child in a restraining, unloving embrace. "I've been missing you so much, yes?" The older man planted sloppy kisses all over Alex's neck & face, filling the boy with intense feelings of disgust & loathing. But, as usual, Deltoid didn't seem to care about what he did to his "little lover"; he only kissed him with more fervor as he unbuttoned Alex's shirt & began fondling him. "Come on, Alex," he cooed coaxingly, "why don't we spend some sweet time together, yes? I'm sure you would enjoy it, yes?"_

_Alex snarled angrily as he gathered all the strength he had & finally broke away from Deltoid. "Leave me alone, you fiend!" he yelled, dashing as far as he could away from the cruel man. But even when he ran, Alex could not escape his enemies. As the boy raced madly through a dark, scary forest, he was approached by all sorts of terrifying monsters & hungry wild animals that viciously snarled & swiped at him, hoping to have Alex for a tasty morsel. Alex finally was able to dodge from the ravenous beasts' horny claws & snapping jaws, but just when the boy thought he was safe, a gigantic harpy appeared out of nowhere & pinned Alex to the ground. As he tried vainly to break free from the bird's grasp, Alex could feel its sharp talons tearing at his loose shirt & piercing his skin until it bled._

_Suddenly, the harpy's shrill screeching became maniacal laughter, & Alex was petrified with fright when he saw the fearsome raptor-like creature turn into Billyboy, who had taken the form of a sneering Nazi demon. Now free to move again, Alex tried to flee to safety, but Billyboy gave his victim harsh kicks in the stomach & bollocks with his boots to immobilize him. Then Billyboy struck Alex repeatedly with a forked bayonet & stood laughing in evil triumph as he leered down at the beaten, frightened boy, poising his knife as he prepared to stab him in the heart..._

_Just when it seemed like the end for Alex, a powerful burst of shining white light caught Billyboy's eyes. The alarmed villain dropped his dagger & drew back fearfully as a beautiful, blonde-haired angel fluttered down from the sky & landed gracefully at Alex's side. The angel glared at Billyboy with stern blue eyes, & the angry demon let out a snarl as he fled into the dark forest, never to return._

_Alex stared up at his heavenly rescuer in great astonishment & happiness, for the seraph was none other than his sweet Angela. Angela knelt down & cradled Alex in her arms, gazing at him with love & tenderness in her eyes as she folded her soft white wings around him, protecting him from all the evilness that had haunted him earlier. The radiant light around Angela permeated the darkness & chased the scary creatures away, while pretty, fragrant flowers & lush green grass filled the landscape. Alex felt Angela's soft touch heal his wounds & comfort his soul as she gently held him to her bosom, kissing him & stroking his hair as her sweet singing lulled him to sleep... _

* * *

Alex groaned weakly as his eyes fluttered open, but Angela was oblivious to his movement as she continued to sing her wake-up song & sob softly under her breath. "A...Angela," Alex murmured, smiling as he saw his friend sitting at his bedside. When Alex's fingers unfurled & he gently caressed Angela's cheek with his hand, the girl turned to look at him, & then gasped in delight as a smile of utmost happiness appeared on her face & her tears of sorrow became those of joy.

"Alex!" Angela cried. "You're alive!" She wrapped her arms tightly around Alex, hugging him as though she would never let go. "Oh, _remercier Dieu que vous allez très bien!_" Angela whispered, nuzzling Alex's face & kissing him lovingly. "Thank God you're all right! I thought I'd never see you again..."

Alex smiled as he gently patted Angela's shoulder & kissed her forehead. "It's OK, Angela," he whispered sweetly into her ear. "I'm awake now."

A few moments later, Philip, Sheila, & the three boys came in to see what the commotion was; they were overjoyed to see their beloved Alex alive & well, sitting up in his bed as he comforted Angela. Sheila was the first to rush over to Alex & embrace him. "My son!" she exclaimed ecstatically as tears of joy fell from her eyes & she smothered him with loving kisses. "My son, my son, my beautiful son..." Sheila stopped there; she couldn't find any other words to express her happiness.

Philip laughed merrily as he playfully tousled Alex's hair. "Alex, glad to see you're alive & on the mend!" He gave him a bear hug, squeezing his arms around his shoulders. "The doctors said you didn't have a chance, but you sure proved them wrong, didn't you, son?"

Pete, Georgie, & Dim were bursting with happiness when they saw that their friend had awakened from his coma. After they glomped Alex, the three boys were practically shoving one another as they all jabbered joyfully & fought to give him their biggest, bolshiest hugs. A grateful Alex embraced each one of his "droogs", thanking them for staying by his side & never giving up on him.

Those few moments Alex, his friends, & his family shared were truly moments of great celebration & elation. Even the nurses were laughing & dancing gleefully when they saw that their patient was all right; despite the wonderful tidings of Alex's recovery, however, the doctor still had some bad news concerning a particular side effect from the poisoning. "It's not as serious as what _could_ have happened to him, of course," he said, "but it's still very, very serious indeed."

"What's wrong with him?" Sheila asked, stroking Alex's hair as her face became worried.

The doctor took out a file folder & skimmed through the papers inside it, before showing them to everyone else. "I must say to you in complete honesty that Alex was truly a miracle child; he defeated the odds & survived an ordeal that many do not recover from. However, Alex did receive some injury to one of his most crucial body parts. Perhaps you've heard of the amygdala?"

"I'm aware of the definition," Philip replied. "It's the part of the brain that deals with the higher emotions. It's also associated with getting along with others, being polite, & such...but what does that have to do with Alex?"

The doctor then gave his answer: "Of the damage his brain was inflicted with, Alex's amygdala received nearly all of it. In other words, he's lost his ability to handle complex emotions. We all go through suffering in life & have sad experiences, but Alex won't be able to cope with such losses anymore. The death of someone near & dear to him would not only crush his soul, but _traumatize _him—& probably even affect his psychological health. So whatever you may do in the future, you need to take special care of your son when things go wrong, & make sure that any emotional pain he feels is healed quickly & efficiently."

"Oh, of course, doctor," Philip said, hugging Alex again with a protective tightness. "That's what we'll certainly do."

"Excellent," the doctor said with a smile. "Now, just allow me to fetch your check-out forms, & before long, you'll all be able to go home."

* * *

When Yancy had told Billyboy the news of Alex's recovery, the gang leader practically exploded with rage. "_Son...of...a...BITCH!_" Billyboy swore, lunging for Yancy to strangle him. "You shit, I told you to put _two_ cups of cyanide in that sugar tin we placed on his porch!"

"But that would have killed him, Billyboy," Yancy said with his clueless stare. "I thought you said you wanted to teach him a lesson."

Never mind the fact that Yancy was a complete moron & had misunderstood his master's orders—Billyboy was so angry about the failure of his plan that he could have satisfied his urge to kill Yancy instantly. The merciless teenager beat, kicked, & scratched his foolish henchman in a violent rage, screaming & cursing at him all the while. Totally terrified, Yancy fell to the ground & curled into a fetal position on the stage floor, shielding himself for protection as he whimpered pathetically. Billyboy masked his fury with a chilling calmness as he took out his knife & gently pressed the blade against Yancy's neck.

"You know, Yancy," Billyboy said almost-cheerfully as he teasingly glided the knife across his thug's quivering flesh, "you remind me of poor Cass right now...you both did the wrong thing & upset me because of it. But instead of being unloyal to me, like Cass was, you failed to carry out my instructions the way I'd given them. You messed up, Yancy, & now look who's running around alive & well..."

Tears poured down Yancy's face as he looked up at Billyboy. "I'm sorry," he apologized softly. "I didn't mean to."

Billyboy put on an insidious smile as he gently stroked Yancy's hair in a mock-comforting gesture. "Shhh," he whispered facetiously into his minion's ear, "shhh..." Billyboy placed the knife closer to Yancy's chest, stopping just above the heart. "I know you didn't mean to, Yancy," the gang leader cooed with contrived gentleness that craftily disguised the callous subtext of his soft-spoken words. "We all make mistakes, don't we? But there's no _room _for mistakes in my gang; it's a terrible sign of weakness, & I just can't allow wimps like you to stumble around in a cold, heartless world that you can never be a part of. Survival of the fittest, Yancy, survival of the fittest..."

The knife was pressed closer to Yancy's chest. Now completely frightened for his life, Yancy started to cry. "Please, Billyboy, don't do this to me!" he pleaded, trying not to struggle. "I don't wanna end up like Cass or Angela's parents...I want to live, & to be with my mommy & daddy!" The innocent teenager's tearful words, though they may have seemed childish, were genuine & true.

"It'll all be over soon," Billyboy soothed, grabbing his knife & hoisting it above Yancy's heart.

"Please," Yancy begged as his weeping became frantic, "spare me!" Just as Billyboy was about to stab his naive minion, he stopped at the very last minute—not because he had heard Yancy's plea for mercy, but because he had seen the look on his face. That big, puppy-eyed look of gripping terror & anguish...the same look Angela had shown when Billyboy had first approached her after he'd brutally murdered her parents. Even if he only had wanted Angela to be his sex slave & his compliant servant (not to mention his personal punching bag), Billyboy still remembered the small tinge of compassion, the spark of good, in his heart that he had felt when he saw the traumatized, sobbing girl & offered to take care of her. And he received the exact same feeling of pity the moment he looked into Yancy's frightened, watering eyes.

Billyboy sighed as he put his knife back into his pocket & helped Yancy up. "Go," he whispered, trying to hide the ashamed countenance on his face. When Yancy stalled & stared at his boss in puzzlement, Billyboy became livid. "What are you, deaf? I saved your life, you miserable bastard! Now get the fuck out of here before I change my mind!"

After watching Yancy disappear, Billyboy sighed again, trudging wearily to his throne & then collapsing. Raising a martyred glance to the opera house ceiling, the gang leader took a wine cooler from the icebox & lifted it in a mock-toast. "Cheers," Billyboy muttered sardonically, downing the alcohol. When he tossed the empty container away & helped himself to another drink, Billyboy looked into the glass for a lengthy moment; in the liquid surface of the raspberry-colored cocktail, he could see a pretty, innocent face, marred with tears, staring sadly at him...

"Oh, don't look at me that way, you little bitch!" Billyboy snapped in a slurred voice, failing to notice that Angela was not really with him. "I don't need you bringing me on a guilt trip right now!"

The little girl continued to gaze at him with her sorrowful blue eyes, & Billyboy winced in angst as he was filled with a deep, gnawing sorrow that ate away at his soul—or what there was of it. "Stop it!" Billyboy yelled, trying to ignore his conflicting feelings & to return to the cold, heartless front he always put on. "It's _your _fault! You made me feel sorry for you after I killed your parents! I remember that little face of yours even now, & because of that, I allowed a pathetic weakling to live! You made me soft, Angela! You made me feel compassion for you & for Yancy, when I would have been content just to stab you & watch you bleed to death!"

Billyboy let out a tormented shriek as he fell to his knees & began pounding the wooden floorboards until his gloves were torn & his fists bled. "You like that, baby?!" he screamed in his blind rage, beating the ground as he did to Angela when he raped her. "You like what I do to you?! Don't I make you feel good?!" He clawed at the planks with his sharp nails, leaving scratches upon them like the ones he made on Angela's virgin flesh. "Come on, bitch, scream for me! _Scream for me!_"

The violent frenzy must have gone on for hours, it seemed, until Billyboy suddenly snapped out of his state of blind fury when he heard a shattering sound. During his outburst, the villain had taken his bottle of alcohol from the arm of his throne & hurled it to the ground. Now sharp pieces of broken glass were scattered around Billyboy, as blood & wine flowed from his cut hands & fell to the floor. He stared at the oozing scarlet & violet liquids in complete astonishment...before licking the hideous concoction from his hands like a thirsty kitten. As the dark fluid stained his yellowed teeth & his dark eyes became glassy, he put on the most wicked smile ever to form on a human face, & high-pitched, demonic giggling bubbled forth from his lips.

Billyboy leaned against his throne for support, as his evil laughter echoed through the empty opera house. Images of pain & suffering he hoped to inflict upon Angela began flashing through his mind as he became lost in his malevolent miasma...her tears of torment, her shrieks of agony, her wounds & all her injuries, her aching womb & the bruises between her legs, & her last scream of terror as a knife was plunged into her heart...oh, how Billyboy relished in these sadistic, evil thoughts, savoring them all like a heady, poisonous wine!

"You won't be so lucky next time, Alex!" Billyboy screeched in manic delight, his voice permeating the silence of the opera house. "I'll make sure you & Angela _both _suffer by the time I'm through with you!" After his laughter reached a terrifying peak, the cold-hearted knave collapsed into a heap on the stage floor, overwhelmed by the darkness that overtook him.

* * *

Meanwhile, Georgie, Dim, & Pete had gone home to tell their families the good news of their friend's remarkable recovery. Angela, Philip, & Sheila returned with Alex to the comfort & safety of their own house, & after settling back in & having a nice family dinner & some quiet reading time, they all bathed, said plenty of prayers, & retired for the night. Now Angela & Alex lay on the bed they shared, snuggled up together under the cozy blankets...but not surprisingly, considering the horrifying hardship he had gone through earlier, Alex was unable to sleep soundly. The boy tossed & turned in his troubled slumber, only to wake up with a gasp from what was yet another nightmare.

"Shhh," Angela whispered as she cuddled Alex & kissed his cheek lovingly. "It was only a dream, Alex; no need to be frightened. _Ne pas a peur._"

Alex lay back in the bed as he sighed in relief, resting his head on the pillow. After turning over to get comfortable, the boy stared up at the ceiling with an anxious gaze; worried thoughts rushed through his mind like a raging river, & he was caught up in their ferocious current that overwhelmed him with gripping fear & misery. Alex felt utterly weak & defenseless because of what had happened to him yesterday; how could he really protect himself from the evil that lurked in this world? How could he prevent another nightmare from becoming a grim reality? How could he be certain he was safe from danger when he had just had a brush with death's menacing jaws?

"Angela," Alex whimpered as tears fell from his eyes, "I'm...I'm so afraid."

This time, though, it was Angela who gave Alex a reassuring hug & offered him words of consolation. "Everything will be all right, Alex," she cooed, cradling his head & kissing him. "_Tout __ira très bien._" While Angela rocked him gently in her arms, Alex gradually drifted off to slumber as he lingered in his friend's warm embrace. As his eyelids fluttered closed & the image of Angela's smiling, tender face filled his mind, Alex smiled in serene assurance, soothed by the girl's soft whispers & her comforting touch. For the remainder of the twilight hours, Alex slept without a single nightmare plaguing his rest; the lad truly felt at peace.

* * *

The months drifted by with a carefree laziness, as spring turned to summer & the days were filled with sunshine & warmth. On one hot July morning, however, surprisingly few people were on the beach; it appeared that Alex, Angela, & the DeLarge parents were the only ones who had decided to take a trip to the seaside today. But they didn't really mind the solitude; it was nice for them to get away from the bustling city life of Elstree for a few hours & just relax while spending quality time together.

As soon as everyone had gotten out of the car when they reached their sandy destination, Philip set up the beach blankets & umbrellas, while Sheila rubbed plenty of sunscreen on everyone. Afterwards, Sheila & Philip lounged on their mats & got tans while Alex & Angela played around. The two tweens had a merry old time building sandcastles, swimming in the sparkling blue waters, inspecting the various critters in the tide pools, flying their kites, having a luncheon picnic with their parents, & searching the shores for treasure. It was while Alex & Angela were beachcombing, in fact, that they discovered something interesting lying on the ground. "I wonder what that could be," Alex pondered aloud, watching Angela stoop down to sweep the sand off the item.

Angela picked up the object in her hands & looked at it with fascination. "It's a seashell," she said, her eyes twinkling at the sight of the pretty pink conch. "_Comment très beau!_ How lovely!" Angela put the shell to her ear, listening to the roar of the sea that resonated inside it. "I can hear the ocean," she commented, closing her eyes thoughtfully as her ears absorbed the soothing sound of the surging waves. After some moments, Angela beckoned for Alex to come closer, & then pressed the seashell gently against his sun-speckled ear. "Listen to the sea," she whispered rapturously. Soon, Alex began to hear Neptune's marine melody of crashing waves, gentle summer breezes, cawing seagulls...& all the while, his hand held Angela's as her tender touch sent him into a romantic trance.

"I can hear it, too," Alex said, absent-mindedly stepping closer to Angela. The girl laughed as her friend fell against her, tackling her onto the sandy beach. When he opened his eyes to find himself on top of Angela, Alex blushed nervously while Angela giggled. "So sorry," Alex apologized as he got up & helped Angela onto her dainty feet. "My sincerest appy polly loggies to you." Alex's chivalrous act was rewarded with a kiss from Angela. As he touched the place where his lady-friend had smooched him, Alex's cheeks once again turned a bright pink just like his little ears; Angela giggled again, & an amused Alex chased her merrily down the shore. The two laughed & played for the rest of the afternoon, until Philip & Sheila gathered with them to watch the sun set. As soon as the first stars of the evening came out, the four packed up & went home for a nice dinner at their house.

* * *

"_So fall the crispy autumn leaves  
__Of orange, gold, & red  
__Onto the dry remainder  
__Of the springtime's flower beds..._"

"You're such a marvelous poet, Georgie," Angela complimented, smiling at her friend as they walked with Alex, Dim, & Pete down a quiet path in the park scattered with all of those colorful falling November leaves. "You remind me of that fellow—_Monsieur_ Lewis Carroll, am I right?—who wrote that story about the girl who fell down the rabbit hole into that magic kingdom..._Alice In Wonderland_, I believe the book's name was."

"Thanks," Georgie said. "But between you & me, Angela, I personally liked the cartoon version by Disney better. The real story didn't interessovat me _nearly_ as much as the animated cinny did—in fact, I should say that I found the original book to be terribly boring. It's rather ironic, though, since I do love to read every now & again."

"Did you have to read it for school?" Angela questioned.

Pete nodded & smirked in response. "We _all_ had to read _Alice In Wonderland_ for literature class last year," he answered. "As Georgie said, he didn't care for it too much; Alex & I thought it was very good, though. And Dim..."—he stifled a chuckle—"...poor Dim never got past the 2nd page."

"I could never read any of those stinking slovos," Dim grumbled, kicking a pebble in frustration as he lagged behind his friends. "Way too bolshy for my liking, they were."

"But that's the fun of reading," Angela said. "You get to learn all sorts of things, like new words, & funny jokes, & lots of interesting information..." Suddenly, Angela stopped her speech, gasping in delight as she saw something amazing before her—a huge pile of leaves for everyone to jump in! "Tally-ho!" Angela shouted, laughing gleefully as she fell head-first into the colorful mound of foliage, scattering them all around. Giggling joyfully, Pete, Alex, & Georgie followed suit & dove after Angela into the scarlet & golden leaves; Dim was the last to join them, guffawing with buffoonish amusement as he scampered & plunged into the leaves with a cannonball dive.

The five children continued to chatter & chortle in delight as they playfully tossed the leaves at one another & threw them up into the air, watching them fall like confetti on their heads. Alex, Angela, & the others were having such a good time, in fact, that by the time they were finished with their impish play, they all collapsed to the ground, catching their breath as they stared up at the hazy fall skies. "Man," Alex said between tired gasps as he saw the silver clouds roll by, "won't it be great when winter comes around?"

Pete gave a weary nod of his head as he smiled dreamily. "I bet it'll be!" he agreed. "The weather-vecks on TV predict the first snowfall will arrive tomorrow."

"And it won't be much longer until Christmas," Dim cheered, clapping his hands in excitement. "Hooray!" Visions of presents, hot cocoa, & wandering carolers danced in the boy's head, but the other children laughed it off good-naturedly; they did need to remind Dim that Christmas wouldn't be until the end of next month. "Aww," the portly lad complained as he frowned in disappointment, "that'll take forever!"

"Not quite, Dim," Alex said with a coy smile, feeling winter's first winds chill his skin & nip his nose...

* * *

It wasn't much longer before December break came around, & when Alex & Angela heard the news on the radio that there would be no school for the next six weeks, they were greatly excited & began chanting a merry tune as they danced gaily around the living room. "Yippee!" Philip cheered in juvenile joy, festively tossing his newspaper into the air. "School's been cancelled!"

"Phil, dear, you're 44 years old," Sheila reminded him. "You don't have to attend schooling anymore."

The middle-aged father's face fell a bit as the realities of adulthood came crashing upon him. "Yes, you're right," he said with mild disappointment, before instantly perking up. "But still, isn't it wonderful? Now we'll have plenty of time to spend together as a family, & without the troubles of our usual duties to bother us!" Philip exclaimed cheerfully. "We'll have such fun this winter, won't we, children?"

"_Oui, oui, M'sieu _DeLarge," Angela affirmed, beaming at the very thought of the delightful weeks that lay ahead. It didn't take long for Angela & Alex to change out of their pajamas, & as soon as the children had gotten dressed & Angela had put on her soft lavender pillbox hat that matched her faux-fur coat, she scampered with Alex into the snowy world outside, where Georgie, Dim, & Pete awaited them.

Dim shivered with cold as he adjusted the earmuffs on his head. "It's awfully freezing out here," he commented, even though that was really quite obvious to Alex & the other kids. "I hope Mummy patched up this jacket right; she's had to mend over 7 holes in it this past month!"

"She could take it to me," Angela said. "She doesn't have to go through all the trouble to fix it."

"But you just knit, Angela," Georgie said. "In case you're not aware, knitting is quite a different veshch from sewing. And besides, that's how Dim's mum earns her money; she sews platties for people to wear & fixes whatever holes or tears or such may be in them. Unfortunately, for all the hard rabbit Mrs. Petrovka does each day, she doesn't get very much pretty polly, so she & Dim can't get a lot of the stuff they would normally like to have. It doesn't help matters that Dim's dad died a few years ago, leaving his loved ones all alone to fend for themselves."

Dim sniffled & sobbed at the thought of his late father, dabbing at his moist eyes with the end of the scarf Angela had knitted for him the other day. "I miss my daddy so," he blubbered. "Why did he have to...have to...snuff it?" Dim's melancholic bawling was suddenly silenced as the boy was struck by a snowball; the portly boy grinned& laughed as he brushed the white powder off his head, his earlier thoughts of his father now out of his mind.

"Now, now," Pete said with a gentle smile, "let us not talk or think about such sad things. Why don't we be festive & happy? That's what the winter holiday's for, after all!"

* * *

"_Whheeeeee!_" Dim cried cheerfully, holding tightly onto the reins of his toboggan as he glided down the snowy hills. The boy laughed & whooped in delight as his sled whooshed up & down & all around the flurry-filled streets, leaving little runner-tracks in its path while it flew swiftly onward. Dim was having so much fun during his ride, in fact, that he didn't notice a big wave of snow forming behind him & splattering against Georgie, who frowned in irritation while he watched his laughing friend continue on his way.

"_Real _horrorshow move, Dim," Georgie grumbled sarcastically, sweeping the snow off his hair & face & shaking the last of it out of his top hat. "Now my frost-veck is ruined! I'll have to build a new one..." With a miffed glower, Georgie scooped up a pile of powder & started sculpting his second snowman. It took him a while to get the slushballs at the right length & stack them, but once he'd managed to do that, Georgie used lumps of coal to make the snowman's eyes & smiling mouth, followed by the carrot-nose, a pipe, two branches for makeshift arms, & some clothes. After taking off his top hat & placing it on the snowman's head for the finishing touch, Georgie smiled in satisfaction when he saw his completed replica of Jack Frost standing in front of him.

Angela walked by, inspecting the snowman with an impressed gaze. "Very nice work, Georgie," she complimented. "Very nice, indeed...But I think it's missing something..." Smirking impishly, Angela swiftly snatched the top hat from the snowman's head & dashed away with it in her mitten-covered hands, giggling gleefully. Georgie quickly got over his surprise & took off after Angela with an irritated frown. "Give me back my hat, Angie," he demanded, "or I'll inflict my unholy wrath upon you!"

"I'd like to see you try!" Angela taunted, scooping up a snowball & flinging it at Georgie. The startled boy was hit & he fell to the ground with a cry of pain. "Oh, dear!" Angela said as she went over to Georgie. "Are you all right, _mon ami?_"

Georgie winced like a wounded soldier on the battlefield as he struggled to lift his head & looked at Angela with an agonized stare. "Angie," he whispered hoarsely, "I need to tell you something." Angela walked to the spot where Georgie lay & stooped over her friend, sporting a quizzical look on her face. "Come...closer." When Angela had leaned in far enough, Georgie caught her by surprise & splooshed a great big snowball on her head. "_Touché!_" he cried triumphantly, bursting into victorious laughter when he saw Angela grunt in irritation & try to sweep the snow off her head & clothes.

As she watched Georgie basking in the joy of her defeat, Angela's annoyed glare became a mischievous smile. "So you want to play rough, eh?" she teased, making another snowball in her hands & tossing it at Georgie. This time, however, Georgie ducked, & the snowball hit Pete instead. "Hey," Pete whined, "who threw that at me?"

Angela literally pointed the finger at Georgie. "_M'sieu _Winslow is responsible for your assault with a deadly snowball!" she blamed.

A nervous Georgie began stammering out an explanation, but Pete would have none of his friend's excuses. "If it's a battle you want," he exclaimed, "then it's a battle you shall verily have!" The beret-wearing boy took a snowball & threw it at Angela, who yelped in surprise as the powdery projectile completely covered her face with a _splat _& she fell backwards onto her bum. After recovering from her blow, Angela mock-snarled as she scooped up more snowballs & began "firing" rapidly at Georgie & Pete.

Soon, Alex & Dim were caught in the crossfire, & it wasn't long before the five youngsters began having an all-out winter war. Like army soldiers fearlessly dueling & dodging the enemy on the battlefield, Alex, Angela, & the boys laughed gleefully & emitted mock-war cries while they pummeled & pelted each other with their snowballs. After grueling hours of intense "fighting", the kids finally stopped & collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, releasing the snowballs that they had intended to throw. "We give up!" Alex cried, waving his bowler hat in the air like a surrender flag. "Let the winter war officially come to an end!"

"I'm with you, Alex," Dim agreed, heaving for breath as he closed his eyes restfully. "What do you say we...?" Suddenly, Dim stopped in the middle of his sentence & instantly became alert when he saw Angela giggling with joy as she made a snow angel nearby. "Oooh," Dim cooed as he flopped onto the ground & followed suit, "that sure looks like bolshy fun!" Muttering in fascination, Alex, Georgie, & Pete fell flat into the field of flurry, & soon, everyone started laughing & cheering in delight while they all made snow angels together.

Oh, what a wonderful time Alex, Angela, & their friends had as they frolicked & played in the wintry world around them! The children took great relish in their simple, but splendid, joy as they caught snowflakes on their tongue & scampered around the powder-covered flatblock courtyard, their little boots making impressions in the soft slush as they played & danced around. The chilly winds tingled the tweens' toes & noses, while snow gently fell from the sky & landed on their heads. It seemed as though the winter fun would never end, until Sheila finally called everyone into the house at around noontime for a lunch break.

"You need to have a good & healthy bite to eat before you start playing outside again," Sheila said as she laid out mugs of hot cocoa & dishes of yummy food. "Little boys & girls need the proper energy to scamper & cavort, after all." Angela, Alex, Pete, & Georgie heartily dug into their luncheon meal, but Dim was eyeing the big plate of cookies in the middle of the table. With a mischievous gaze, the lad reached for a sugar-coated gingerbread man, but Sheila scoldingly swapped his hand away before he could touch the cookie. "No sweets until you've eaten the food that's been laid before you," she said. Sighing in resignation, Dim ate his midday meal with a reluctant hunger, trying to hold off his appetite for cookies until he was done with the last bite on his plate.

When the children were finally finished with lunch & dessert, Sheila called them into the living room for a quick meeting. "I'm hoping I won't keep you too long," she said as she took out a pen & notepad, "but while you're here, I thought I would discuss with you about your suggestions for your Christmas wish lists; it is getting to be that time of year again, after all."

"If it's not too much to ask, Mrs. DeLarge," Angela said, "I'd like to have a dolly to play with. I also want some toys & games, as well as some books, &, if it's all right with you, some really nice presents, like jewelry, or a sketchbook with colored pencils, or something."

"As for myself," Pete added, "I was hoping I could have a show-tunes record, a malenky joke book, & perhaps some other things that you & Mr. DeLarge can pick out for me. Oh, & I need a new beret, too—mine's getting a bit small."

"Dim only wants some clothes & some toys," Georgie said, "but I don't really want anything specific. Just let me be surprised," he added with a wink.

"And you, son?" Sheila asked Alex after she jotted everyone else's present recommendations down.

"Well, Em," Alex replied with a coy smile, "you already know that I want some toys, a game or two, a couple of Beethoven records, & a _pet snake_."

Sheila put her foot—or pen, as the case may be—down in refusal. "I told you, son, we're _not_ having a snake in the house!" She thought for a moment, considering a nicer alternative for Alex's pet. "Parrots are supposed to be nice," she suggested with a smile.

"Nah," Georgie said, "I hear they live to be over 100 years old. Who wants something _that_ starry hanging around the domy, squawking & talking & flapping its old wings?" He cracked a mischievous grin. "Snakes, however, are more useful for when one wants to catch malenky mice & rats, & that's when they eat them all up for supper..." He ended his tirade, though, when he saw the saddened look on Angela's face; he knew how much she loved cute, cuddly little mice & rats with their fuzzy fur & their little-bitty noses. "Well, in any event," Georgie said, "I still think Alex should have a pet snake. It's a lot more interesting that having a boring old dog or a cat..."

"I _hate_ those ghastly, slimy little serpents!" Sheila said with an angry shudder. "I'm afraid a snake is the one & only thing Alex _won't_ be getting on his Christmas list!" She crossed her arms & tilted her nose, signaling that her decision was final.

Philip, however, was a bit more lenient about the idea. "Oh, come now, Sheila," he coaxed his wife, "let's not be so harsh. If Alex wants a snake for Christmas, he should certainly be allowed to have one...as long as it's not poisonous, it doesn't squeeze anyone, & it's been defanged."

"You can look all over the world for a pet snake," Sheila countered, "but I _won't_ be giving it to Alex. It belongs in the zoo, not in a people house."

"Well, Sheila, if it's had its teeth pulled & it carries no venom, then..." Philip cut himself off when he saw Alex, Angela, & the others staring at him in surprise. "Trot along now," Philip said to the children with a smile as he waved his hand. "Go back outside & have some fun; Sheila & I will settle this sooner or later." With a nudge to his son's elbow & a mischievous wink, Philip added, "Wish me luck, son!" The following argument that formed between Philip & Sheila fell on deaf ears as Alex, Angela, & their friends scampered down the stairs & returned to the snowy world that awaited them.

* * *

That afternoon, the five tweens had left the flatblock courtyard (not without telling Philip & Sheila where they were headed, of course) & gone to the park nearby. The ground & trees were covered with snow, & the lake at the center of the green was completely frozen over with a smooth, thick layer of ice. "Does everyone have their equipment ready?" Alex asked his friends, winking in their direction. Nodding their heads & muttering in agreement, Pete, Georgie, & Dim whipped out the ice skates they had brought along; as soon as the boys put them on, they began gliding around the surface of the lake, laughing & cheering in delight as they performed tricks & little "routines".

At one point, Alex quickly snapped out of the blissful reverie he was in & came to a smooth stop when he saw Angela standing on the snowy shore, watching everyone from her lonely position. "What's the matter, Angela?" Alex asked her. "Don't you want to come skate with us?"

"I never learned how to," Angela admitted, looking away in awkwardness.

With a supportive smile on his cherubic face, Alex skated towards Angela & offered his small, mitten-covered hand to her. "If you'd like," he said, "I can teach you how to skate."

Angela turned to face Alex with a look of awe. "You'd do that for me?" she asked. When Alex grinned & gave a sincere nod in reply, Angela returned the smile as she took Alex's hand & graciously accepted his offer. "Oh, _oui,_ Alex, I would _love_ for you to teach me how to skate!" Angela said. "So, my dear mentor, when do lessons begin?"

"Right now," Alex said, helping Angela put on her ice skates & then holding her gently as they glided together across the frozen pond. Much to Alex's surprise, Angela was doing quite well at skating for someone who claimed to have never done it before. "You're an awfully fast learner," Alex told Angela with an impressed smile. "I bet it won't be long before you're at the Winter Olympics, skating like a pro." Angela giggled & playfully swatted Alex's hand, not quite sure just how to react to his praise.

During the time that she skated with Alex, Angela smiled as she felt the December winds blowing through her hair & the drifting snowflakes tickling her nose. Alex's arms were wrapped snugly around Angela's waist, & he nuzzled her long golden hair while he twirled & whirled with her across the crystalline surface of the pond. It was as though Angela were flying with Alex, sharing a graceful dance with her friend like the waltzing mouse figures on her music box. The girl closed her blue eyes in blissful reverie & relaxed in Alex's cozy embrace as she let him take her to a wonderful world she'd never imagined in her whole lifetime, a place of utmost peace & happiness...

Angela & Alex were immediately brought out of their state of joy when they heard a wild, primal shriek of fury echoing piercingly across the empty park, causing the snow on the trees to fall & the few birds that were around to cry out in fear & fly away as fast as they could. With a frightened gasp, Angela clutched Alex protectively, trembling in fear while he wrapped his arms around her & held her close. "Shh," Alex whispered soothingly, kissing Angela's pretty face & stroking her hair in gestures of comfort. "It's all right, Angela. _Ça bien._"

Pete & Georgie stared with horrified eyes as they glanced slowly around the park, consumed with fear by the eerie event that had just occurred. When the angry, hate-filled screech resonated again, now louder in volume, a frightened Dim skated right up to Georgie & Pete, nearly knocking them down as he clutched them tightly & begged for his friends to protect him. "Whatever it may be that's like after us, don't let him get me!" he yelled, trembling fearfully while he shook Georgie & Pete in a blind panic.

Georgie broke away from Dim's grasp with a miffed glare, & softened his gaze while he placed a supportive hand on the stout lad's shoulder. "No need to worry, Dim," Georgie assured him. "It's probably just the Abominable Snow-veck." Dim whimpered with fright as his quivering became more intense. "Seriously, Dim, it's OK. Nothing to worry your pretty gulliver over, I'm sure."

Pete waited a few silent seconds until he was absolutely sure that there was no sign of anything threatening. Finally, he turned to his friends & let out a sigh of relief. "No one's around," he said. "But I think it's time we ittied on home now." With that, Alex, Angela, & the others put on their snow-boots & trudged solemnly down the empty streets until they reached the marina not too far from the flatblock courtyard.

Just as the tweens were walking, the terrible shrieking noise returned unexpectedly, but this time, it was followed by peals of hysterical, high-pitched giggling...the villainous kind of giggling that chilled the blood & was often heard in youngsters' darkest nightmares. This same eerie laughter became longer, louder, & more wicked in intensity, like the cruel tittering of a wild hyena, until it finally ceased & there was no more.

Alex & the boys looked around with terror in their eyes, now afraid for their very lives as they became aware of the invisible presence that was haunting them. "Angela, darling," Alex blurted out suddenly, "it's gonna be OK. Home's not too far—" There was no sign of her. "Angela?" Alex asked fearfully, his gaze darting in every direction as he looked for his friend. "Angela?" Suddenly, Dim let out a cry as he saw Angela lying on the ground before them, nearly unconscious. While a small stream of blood trickled from a wound on Angela's temple & stained the white snow with its crimson hue, a rock lay by the girl's head, not too far from where she had been hit.

Alex got over his panic & quickly rushed over to Angela, applying pressure to her wound as he tenderly squeezed her hand. "_Mon ami,_" he asked worriedly, "are you OK? What happened to you?"

Angela could barely lift a finger as she pointed past Alex & moaned weakly, "Look...behind...you..." Then Angela collapsed, just as Alex turned to see what she had been gesturing to. He gasped in horror as he watched a few lit matches fall to the ground, before being splashed with a shower of gasoline. The tiny fires that formed quickly grew bigger & bigger, until their searing flames blended together to create a deadly inferno that blazed in front of the children. When the fire flared just inches away from Alex, the lad became startled & accidentally knocked the comatose Angela into the river.

"Angela!" Alex cried, gazing with horror as he watched Angela disappear into the murky depths below. "No!"

With a heroic glare of determination to save his friend, Alex dove in after Angela, but just as soon as he had vanished underwater, Pete reached out a hand in a vain attempt to stop Alex from going any further. "Come back, brother," he warned, "or you'll drown!"

"We got worse veshchs to worry about than that, Pete!" Dim shouted, turning him around to witness the rapid spreading of the fire. The scorching ring of flames surged with a terrifying rage as it completely encircled Pete, Dim, & Georgie, cutting off access to the few exits that would otherwise have granted the boys the opportunity to flee safely. "There's no way we can get out of this as we once planned," Georgie said, his eyes darting swiftly in their sockets as he sought an alternate escape route. His gaze finally locked upon the cold waters of the river. "We're gonna have to jump!" Georgie told Pete & Dim, bracing himself for action. "On my mark!" The fire was now coming closer towards the boys. "Three..." It edged closer still. "Two..." Closer. "One..."

Dim yelped as he finally realized just what he was about to do. "I can't swim!" the boy cried fearfully, clinging to Georgie like a frightened child.

"Then float, you bastard!" Georgie snapped, pushing Dim into the river & then turning to Pete. "Come on, droogie!" With that, Georgie & Pete plunged into the water & resurfaced, gasping for breath. Much to everyone's relief, Alex soon joined them, holding the still-unconscious Angela in his arms. Pete swam over to Angela's motionless body & put his head to her weakly-rising chest while his fingers pressed against her neck. "She has a pulse," Pete assured his friends. "Angela's gonna be OK."

The boys sighed with relief, thankful that Angela had been spared an untimely death. Looking around, Georgie spotted a place further down the riverbank untouched by fire. "Follow me," he directed. "Quickly!" Alex, Pete, Georgie, & Dim heaved for breath as they paddled towards the shore & hoisted themselves up onto dry land. Once they had risen to their feet & gained their bearings, the children began rushing down the streets, hoping to reach safety; as they ran, though, they could not bear to hide their eyes from the chaos that had begun to erupt around them.

"Holy cal!" Georgie blurted, watching with sheer horror at the hellish events that were occurring. Like the deadly storm of burning hail that afflicted the Egyptians in the story of Exodus, a shower of flaming, gas-soaked matches rained down upon the streets of Elstree, landing on buildings & setting them ablaze. The town became a fiery inferno before the terrified eyes of Alex & his friends; smoke was everywhere & an incredibly stifling heat could be felt all around as the conflagration became increasingly worse. Hordes of screaming, panicking people began rushing out of the burning buildings, many of them with frightened children & crying babies. Alex, Georgie, Dim, & Pete—with Angela still cradled in Alex's arms—tried to make their way through the accumulating crowds of terrified citizens who pushed & shoved in their frantic struggle to escape the danger around them.

"Come on!" Alex urged, quickening his pace as he clutched Angela more protectively, determined to keep her safe no matter what. "We can make it, you guys! Just..." Alex suddenly became silent as his ears perked up to the sound of evil laughter—the same laughter that had chilled him to the bone just a few minutes earlier. The demoniac giggling was now more hysterical than ever before, tinged with a mixed undertone of wicked triumph & sadistic delight.

"You can run," spoke a cruel, rasping voice, "but you can't hide, little Alex!" Alex momentarily thought that the voice belonged to someone he once knew...but the boy quickly pushed those ideas out of his mind as he hurried to lead Angela & his friends to safety.

"Hurry, guys!" Alex goaded Pete, Georgie, & Dim as they got closer & closer to their destination. "We're almost there!" Soon, the children made it to the flatblock, away from the blazing inferno that continued to ravage the world they had left behind them. After scampering through the lobby & up the stairs, they finally reached the safety of Alex's home. No sooner did Alex & his friends shut the door behind them than Philip & Sheila rushed to give them great big hugs & relieved kisses.

"Thank God you wee ones are all right!" Sheila cried, wrapping her arms around Alex & embracing him as though she would never let go. Then she gasped when she saw Angela's unconscious body lying limply against her son's chest. "Oh, the poor, sweet baby!" Sheila cooed, taking the girl & gently laying her down on the couch. "She must have been scared & fainted dead away!" While tending to Angela, Sheila noticed the wound on her temple that she had received earlier. "Where did she get that cut, I wonder?" she mused. "Well, no worries. I've got some things that'll heal it up in no time." With that, Sheila scuttled off for the bathroom to find the first aid supplies, & Philip went over to the window, pulling back the curtains to look outside.

The middle-aged father breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the welcome sight of familiar red trucks zooming onto the streets, their sirens wailing in the afternoon heat. "The fire-folks have just arrived," Philip said to the four boys. "Everything's gonna be OK, children." Alex, Pete, Georgie, & Dim could barely contain their relief at the wonderful turn of events.

Soon, Sheila came back into the living room, holding a small box of bandages & a bottle of disinfecting salve; she sat down on the couch & placed Angela's head in her lap, gently brushing her loose locks of hair aside to nurse the wound on her temple. After applying the cold ointment to the injury & then putting on the bandages, Sheila took Angela in her arms & cradled her like a small infant, rocking the girl slowly & humming a tune as she did so. At this point, Angela stirred from her coma, unaware of her surroundings. "Alex," she murmured, "watch out behind you..."

"Shhh, little lambkin," Sheila whispered, kissing Angela's forehead. "You've just been suffering a bad dream, is all. Would you like me to sing a lullaby to help you off to sleep again?" When Angela nodded & made her reply, Sheila cleared her throat & crooned softly to the girl:

_**Over in Kilarney  
**__**Many years ago,  
**__**Me mother sang a song to me  
**__**In tones so sweet & low...  
**__**Just a simple little ditty,  
**__**In her good old Irish way,  
**__**And I'd give the world if she could sing  
**__**That song to me this day...**_

_**"Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li,  
**__**Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry!  
**__**Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li,  
**__**Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby..."**_

_**Oft in dreams I wander  
**__**To that cot again,  
**__**I feel her arms a-huggin' me,  
**__**As when she held me then...  
**__**And I hear her voice a-hummin'  
**__**To me as in days of yore,  
**__**When she used to rock me fast asleep  
**__**Outside the cabin door...**_

_**"Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li,  
**__**Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry!  
**__**Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li,  
**__**Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby..."**_

Angela soon fell back asleep, & after planting a tender kiss on the girl's forehead, Sheila carried her into Alex's room, helped her into her lavender nightgown & robe, & tucked her in bed. Then she hustled Alex & his friends into the room, quickly removing their singed & soaked clothes & then dressing the boys up in nice, clean pajamas. "Trot along to bed, lads," Sheila said, patting Dim's head. "It's naptime."

"But we're not sleepy, Mrs. DeLarge," Georgie protested.

Sheila's face softened & her eyes showed a spark of concern. "You need the rest, loves," she whispered tenderly. "You've been through such an awful time this afternoon." Nodding in understanding, Alex, Pete, Georgie, & Dim crawled into bed & snuggled up under the covers; even as they lay in the safety & shelter of home, however, they could still hear the blaring of fire sirens & the last of the fleeing people's screams coming from outside.

Sniffling, Dim clutched one of the pillows & clung to it like his favorite teddy bear, cuddling it as he sought comfort. "I'm still scared," he whimpered. "What if something bad like this happens to us again?"

"Don't think about that, Dim," Pete said, trying vainly to hide the tears that were falling down his face. "Such messels aren't good for the mind at this minoota..." Then Pete broke down & began to cry, dabbing at his moist eyes with the corner of the blanket. Georgie, ever calm & collected, merely reacted with a blank stare & didn't say a word. Alex wept like a helpless baby as he hugged his knees & tried to push the images of the recent disaster out of his mind.

"Shh, my darlings," Sheila whispered, stroking Alex's hair & gently rubbing his shoulders. "Shh..." The traumatized boys tried to calm themselves down, but their efforts were fruitless. "Don't cry, now," Sheila consoled Alex & his friends. "Why don't I sing you a lullaby to help you feel better?"

"That would be nice," Dim sniffled, taking a moment to wipe his runny nose with his sleeve.

"Very well, then," Sheila said. With a gentle clear of her throat, the middle-aged mother began singing her Irish lullaby, & soon, the boys fell under the spell of the calming tune. Their tears of fright dried up, their bodies stopped quivering & rocking, & peaceful smiles formed upon their cherubic faces as they closed their eyes & sailed away to dreamland. After making sure her little angels were fast asleep, Sheila gave them tender "goodnight" kisses & bade them pleasant 'sneets' as she quietly tiptoed out of the room & shut the door behind her. Soon, though, Alex's calm smile became an agonized grimace as he was afflicted with another terrifying nightmare...

* * *

_The boy was chained to a stone pillar, unable to break free of his restrains no matter how hard he struggled. A toxic miasma of curling black smoke, tinged with the odors of alcohol, bitter almonds, & fresh blood, was all around him, poisoning the air & making Alex choke. A burning ring of fire soon surrounded Alex, its stifling heat causing cold sweat to drip down his body as the flames licked at his bare feet. Even though he knew it would be of no use, Alex continued to struggle more frantically to escape the deadly blaze that was slowly enveloping him..._

"_Now I have you, you little bastard," spoke a familiar voice. Alex gasped when he looked up to see who had addressed him; it was none other than his old archenemy Billyboy. Now the rogue, who was surprisingly able to remain untouched by the destructive inferno, had abandoned his Nazi-style gang uniform in favor of silk crimson robes with a matching scarlet cape that flowed in the wind. "At last, you're exactly where I want you to be."_

_Alex glared at Billyboy with angry eyes. "Let me out of these chains!" he demanded, yanking at his iron shackles._

_Billyboy just threw back his head & laughed mockingly in response. "Why should I let you go free?" the teenage scoundrel asked with a wicked leer. "After all, I'm quite enjoying this...you know, watching you sweat from the heat of the flames & squirm like a frightened mouse in a hungry owl's talons, while you wrench & tug so desperately at your fetters, hoping that you might somehow be able to break away & run for the safety of your sweet Angela's embrace...You are a weakling, Alex, pure & simple."_

"_You may be 16 in a month, Billyboy," Alex countered, "but you'll never have more power over me! I'm a lot stronger than you are, you spineless coward!"_

_Upon hearing the hate-filled insult Alex had just hurled at him, Billyboy looked stung for a few moments, recoiling as though he had been bitten by a snake...but he relaxed & put on a calm grin. "You're right, Alex," the devilish gang leader said. "You __are__ a lot stronger than I once thought you were...Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to endure all the stuff I made you & your little friends go through during our grade school years...don't you remember, Alex?"_

"_You're bloody right I do," Alex said with a furious huff. "Pete, Georgie, & Dim may not recall much about those times anymore, but I still remember every single thing you did to me & my droogs...The beatings & the schoolyard fights you got us into every day, all those nasty pranks & practical jokes you pulled on all of us, those threats & those hate notes you made sure we received...I went through 7 years of heck, Billyboy, putting up with all your crap...but I survived it all! And just look at me now! Look at me, you bully! Do I look like that pathetic weakling to you anymore?"_

"_You claim to be so big & strong," Billyboy retorted icily, "but really, you're just as puny & lily-livered as the rest of all the innocents of the world...I know you are, you arrogant little prick."_

"_Wanna bet?" Alex challenged with a determined grin. Snickering evilly, Billyboy sliced his gloved hand swiftly through the air, causing a powerful gust of wind to collide with the still-blazing fire & make the flames flare up. Alex immediately flinched in response, letting out a panicked yelp. Then Billyboy brought forth two blood-red cobras & allowed them to slither up Alex's legs & all over the frightened boy's body. Alex quivered & shuddered fearfully as the slimy serpents caressed his sweat-drenched face with their forked tongues, tasting his flesh & wondering whether or not they ought to eat him..._

_No sooner did the crimson snakes disappear in clouds of smoke than Billyboy let out a cruel, triumphant laugh as he hid behind his red cape & transformed into a beautiful young figure that looked all too familiar to Alex. "Cherie," spoke Angela as she walked towards Alex, "here I am." Her soft French accent, so beautiful to listen to, was warped with Billyboy's vicious growl, making her voice rasping & truly evil-sounding._

"_No!" Alex cried, shaking his head in fierce denial. "You're not Angela! You __can't__ be!"_

_The wicked smile on Angela's pretty face became salacious. "It __is__ me, Alex," Angela whispered, continuing to walk calmly towards him as the flames parted to clear a pathway for her. "Who else would you think I am?"_

"_I know that's still you, Billyboy," Alex snarled angrily, glaring at the devilish figure before him who had concealed himself as a lovely preteen. "You can't fool me with that cally disguise!"_

_Angela laughed, but it was not her sweet, musical giggle that came from her mouth—it was Billyboy's deep, sinister cackle. "I'm not wearing a disguise at all, mon __cher__," Angela crooned, her blue eyes slowly becoming dark & cold like that monster's. "Your darling friend is here, in the flesh..." She undid her scarlet cape & tossed it aside, letting the hot winds carry it away. Then she removed the crimson corset & mini-skirt she was wearing, revealing a voluptuous body covered only with skimpy red knickers._

_As he saw the nearly-nude temptress standing before him, Alex's eyes nearly popped out of his head & his blood ran cold as feelings of shock & awe swarmed through his body. But when he remembered that this same temptress was his darling friend Angela, he became horrified & his face contorted in disgust. "Change back!" he begged as he averted his eyes, wanting the lascivious strumpet before him to transform into the demoniac figure of Billyboy—he couldn't bear to see sweet, innocent Angela like this._

_With a saucy smile, Angela began swiveling her hips & performing a seductive dance as she came over to Alex, kissing him passionately & nuzzling her face in his hair while she undid the buttons of his shirt. Her hands massaged his chest & shoulders, teasing him as they slid around smoothly underneath the cool fabric. "Come on, Alex," Angela cooed in the boy's ear, licking the inside of it sensually with her tongue. "Don't you want me?" Angela's delicate fingers danced across Alex's belly as she kissed & licked around the navel, slowly making her way down..._

"_No," Alex grunted, trying his hardest to ignore the physical sensations Angela's wanton touches gave him. "I don't want you, Angela...not this way."_

_Angela stopped what she was doing & rose to stare at Alex with an angry grimace. "Then you shall never have me," she declared, taking a switchblade knife that had once been fastened to her leg & then clutching the deadly weapon in her hand. She moved until she was poised to strike, & then the knife plunged into Alex's heart. The last thing Alex saw before his eyes closed in eternal sleep was the horrible sight of Angela taking the knife & thrusting it into her own heart, collapsing to the floor as she lay dying..._

_

* * *

_

Alex immediately woke up from his nightmare, frightened. His blue eyes darted around, making sure that the world they glanced at was not one of flames & blackness. When he was assured that everything was all right, Alex clutched his pounding heart & breathed a deep sigh of relief. "It's OK, Alex," the boy told himself. "It's OK..."

Pete, Georgie, & Dim were gone; their parents had probably taken them home after they had woken up. But where was Angela? Pulling back the covers, Alex crawled out of bed & wandered around the hallways in his pajamas, looking around & calling out the name of his girl-friend; when he saw no sign of Angela, he went back into his room...only to find her sitting on the bed in her nightgown, playing with her toys. "Here I am, Alex," she said with a happy smile. "You just missed me!"

_Thank God Angela was unconscious throughout this whole catastrophe, _Alex thought to himself in great relief. _I don't know how she would be able to handle it otherwise._

Blissfully unaware of what had happened earlier, Angela murmured & hummed cheerfully to herself as she continued to amuse herself with her favorite playthings. "All right, _Mademoiselle_ Bunny," Angela asked her stuffed rabbit, "what should we do next?" A beat. "You want to play with the Rainbow Toys again? Well, I suppose that's quite fine with me..." And so Angela & Mademoiselle Bunny engaged in their multicolored games, happy as little clowns & seeming to be without a care in the world.

While watching Angela play, Alex suddenly looked back on his horrifying dream & began playing the ethereal events in his mind like a movie reel, starting with the moment he had "awakened" to find himself shackled to the stone pillar, surrounded by the ring of imaginary fire that threatened him just as much as the real one from a few hours before. Alex had been frightened (& yet not entirely surprised) to see Billyboy in his nightmare, mocking & attacking his long-ago bullying victim in the cruelest ways imaginable. But then...what about Angela? Why had she acted so differently in those two dreams he had had, when he'd expected otherwise?

In Alex's last nightmare, the dream had ended happily when the white-winged Angela came to rescue Alex from that devil Billyboy's clutches & comforted the lad as she eased his pain & sorrow. But this time, the dream had a gruesome ending—Angela appeared to Alex as a licentious vixen who killed him when he refused her advances & then turned the knife on herself...Or was it really Billyboy who committed suicide? After all, _he _was the one who _turned into_ Angela. Surely, Billyboy had done it to fool Alex—to pick at his inner sores, to exploit his weaknesses, & to play his callous, twisted mind games with him...right?

No—there was some connection between Billyboy & Angela indicated by that demoniac transformation; Alex was sure of it. He didn't know exactly what that connection was or what it was that the act of metamorphosis in the dream really represented, but he knew that it meant _something_. Because of all the people Billyboy could have changed into—his parents, any of his friends, the mailman, one of the beggars by the marina, or even Mr. Deltoid!—he changed into Angela; there _had_ to be a reason why he morphed into her particular form. But _what_ was the reason? Just how were Billyboy & Angela connected? What sort of secrets had Angela been hiding for all these months, & why was she so reluctant to tell anyone about them?

Now deciding that these questions that nagged at him so much needed to be answered at this time & no other, Alex cleared his throat softly & gestured towards himself. "Angela," he said solemnly, "we have to talk."

Angela put down the Rainbow Pinwheel she had been blowing on. "_Oui?_" she asked Alex, crossing her legs daintily. "Whatever might it be about?"

Alex took a few breathes & winced. This was certainly not going to be an easy discussion for him or Angela. "About all the things that have been troubling you for so long," Alex finally answered with a weary face. "I know you said some secrets are meant to be kept, Angela, & I truly understand that. But if there's anything you may have on your mind that you've been meaning to get off your chest, you need to talk to me about it now, before anything else happens to you...before anything happens to _us._"

Angela did not reply for a moment. Then, with feigned assurance in her voice, she said, "There's nothing to tell you, Alex. I'm not hiding anything from you."

Alex felt his blood boil & his heart quicken its pace; now he was getting angry. How could he continue to stay calm & say that everything was fine & dandy when Angela was _lying _to him & creating this terrible façade of deceit & dishonesty she chose to hide behind? Angela was the dearest & closest friend to Alex, now more than ever before; she could certainly trust him with her secrets, no matter how deep & dark they were! But why wouldn't Angela say anything? Why did she have to keep playing this cruel charade & allow her lies to put herself & the people she loved in danger? Well, regardless of why Angela chose to keep silent about the things that troubled her heart, Alex was not going to be left in the dark any longer; he was determined to reveal those grim skeletons in Angela's closet before they revived & came back to haunt her.

Alex went over to Angela & grasped her hands tightly in his as he stared into her deep-blue eyes with a desperate, heated look. "You've got to tell me _everything!_" he demanded. "I _know_ that you've been keeping secrets from me, Angela, & now I want to find out the truth!"

"You can't handle the truth, Alex," Angela said, turning away to conceal her expression of sadness & humiliation. Her golden hair fell in front of her pretty face like a draping veil that isolated Angela from Alex, hiding her safely behind the invisible barricade of falsehood she built to protect herself & her loved ones. Alex, however, was not going to let this barrier prevent him from carrying on with his mission to investigate the secrets of Angela, his darling friend.

Alex took Angela's chin in his hands, turning her head around until their gazes met; he stared deeply into her eyes as the expression on his face became firm & somber. "Angela," Alex declared slowly, "whatever or whoever it is that you're afraid of, I won't let it harm you. I just want to know what's been troubling you for all these months, what's been upsetting you & breaking your poor heart so..."

Angela turned away from Alex, shaking her head furiously in refusal. "_Non,_" she replied. "I'm not going to tell you. It's best that you don't know."

"Why?" Alex pleaded, gripping his hands around Angela's slender shoulders as though he wanted to literally shake the answer out of her. "What is it that you're trying to hide from me so much?"

An overwhelmed Angela started to cry, exasperated & unable to deal with the pressure that Alex was forcing upon her. "Stop!" she screamed in agony, clutching her hands to her head & flopping onto the bed. "Please stop, Alex!" Angela's body shook with sobs as she buried her tear-stained face in her pillow, snuggling her stuffed bunny tightly in her arms. "Just leave me alone...All I want to do is to curl up into a ball & die!"

Alex was horrified to hear those words coming from his friend's mouth. "Don't say that!" the boy scolded, gently scooping Angela into his arms & hugging her. "You must never say such terrible things!"

Angela continued to cry, drowning in the misery that was consuming her tortured soul. "It's true!" she wept. "I want to die...& that way, I'll be with...be with..." Angela could no longer speak; the only sounds that came from her mouth were agonized sobs & melancholy whimpers. Alex continued to cradle her in the sanctity of his tender embrace, whispering words of comfort & attempting to console the poor girl.

"Don't cry," Alex soothed, stroking Angela's soft hair & giving her little Eskimo kisses. "Don't cry, sweet angel. _Ça bien_" He held Angela close to his chest, letting his hand support her head as it rested against his shoulder. When Angela continued to cry, Alex got an idea. "Perhaps this will make you feel better," he suggested, taking Angela's music box from the nightstand & winding up the key. As the Moonlight Sonata played & the mice figures began to dance, Angela passed into her daze & a tiny smile appeared on her face, which now sported a serene expression.

With his loving gentleness, Alex laid Angela onto the bed, placed her bunny dolly at her side, & tucked her in, before stooping down to brush away a lock of Angela's hair & kiss her tenderly on the forehead. "I love you," Alex whispered after his lips parted from Angela's brow. He watched her sleep so peacefully, before hearing the last of the fire sirens' wails & going over to look out the window.

Outside, Alex saw the remainder of the wispy, black smoke drifting from the buildings that had ceased burning, thanks to the help of the fearless firefighters. Now that the inferno had been safely put out, the neighborhood residents started making their way back onto the streets, going into their homes & checking to see how badly they had been damaged. As the chaos from those hellish hours finally ended & everything became safe & secure once again, Alex breathed a sigh of relief & watched with a comforted smile at the world that was slowly returning to sweet normalcy.

Suddenly, Alex's ears perked up to a low rumbling sound, & he tilted his gaze towards the gray winter clouds, heavy & in labor with precipitation. Instead of snow, however, they released cold raindrops that fell onto the burnt buildings, washing away all the evidence of the tragedy that had brought damage upon them earlier. The storm was almost like a cleansing in this manner, signaling an end to the disorder on the streets of Elstree & the beginning of peaceful, happy times. Everything was going be to all right...Alex was so sure of it now.

* * *

_**Dashing through the snow  
**__**In a one-horse open sleigh,  
**__**O'er the fields we go  
**__**Laughing all the way...**_

_**Bells on bob-tails ring,  
**__**Making spirits bright  
**__**What fun it is to ride & sing  
**__**A sleighing song tonight!**_

The singer's merry voice flowed beautifully from the old radio that sat upon the coffee table, filling the living room with feelings of happiness & yuletide cheer. Sheila couldn't resist humming along to the lyrics of "Jingle Bells" as she scuttled around the sitting chamber, dusting the furniture & even the Christmas tree. The large pine's bright-green branches were brilliantly adorned with all sorts of pretty ornaments & shiny tinsel that glimmered in the morning sunlight. One crucial decoration was missing, however...

"What about the malenky little twinkling star?" Dim asked, gazing at the bare tip of the Christmas tree. "We haven't put it on yet."

Sheila rolled her eyes in mock annoyance & smiled. "Remember, Dimitri, we don't do that until tomorrow morning, just before we open the presents." She gently boxed Dim's ears & tousled his mop of brown hair. "You need to learn how to be more patient, son." Dim pouted & crossed his arms grumpily; patience was a virtue the lad had unfortunately never been able to maintain.

Philip popped his head through the kitchen threshold, dressed in Sheila's best apron (much to her irritation). "Well, it appears that my long, laborious hours of working are finally paying off; luncheon should be done shortly." With that, Philip ducked back in & returned to finishing everyone's midday meals, humming nonsensical words to a cheerful tune while he prepared the food. The pleasant aroma of delicious goodies wafted from the kitchen, making the children's mouths water & causing Sheila's stomach to grumble ravenously...that is, until the tasty fragrance became a thick, foul-smelling odor much like that of flaming wood.

"Oh, drat it!" Philip cried, opening the oven door & taking out the charred, blackened remains of the Christmas goose he had been cooking. "I must've let this bloody bird in for too long, & now look—it's all burnt to ashes!"

"From ashes the goose rose," Sheila quipped with a chuckle of amusement, "& to ashes it will return." Alex, Angela, & the boys couldn't help but giggle at the ironic allusion. "Well, no matter," Sheila sighed gently, "we'll just throw it out & make something else instead."

After Sheila had taken the burnt goose & put it in the garbage bin, she went to the kitchen to prepare the replacement dish, while Philip sat with the children in the living room & kept them entertained with funny stories & jokes. When Sheila returned with lunch for everybody, the DeLarge family & their friends ate at the table & then put up their dishes when they were done. They spent the rest of the day sharing quality time together & preparing for the hallowed holiday that would take place tomorrow.

* * *

Early the next morning, Alex stirred from his deep slumber when he felt Angela gently shaking him & whispering for him to get up. "What is it?" he moaned drowsily, rubbing the sleep out of his little blue eyes with his hand.

"It's Christmas!" Angela replied excitedly, her own eyes twinkling with anticipation. She shook Alex with even more fervor, bouncing on the bed with glee as she cried, "Come on, Alex, wake up! Wake up!" Yawning deeply, Alex stretched his arms & crawled out of bed, with Angela following close behind as he tiptoed down the hallway in his pajamas. The two children gasped & stared in sheer awe when they saw the large pile of brightly-colored presents nestled underneath the glistening Christmas tree, just waiting to be opened.

Angela giggled & clapped in delight as she envisioned the ritual of gift-unwrapping in her mind, but Alex put a finger to his lips & shushed her. "Don't wanna wake up the whole house," Alex admonished Angela. "Come on; let's go back to our room & play while we wait for Pee & Em to wake up. Then when our droogs have arrived, we'll have breakfast, put on the star, & open our presents together." With that, Alex & Angela tiptoed back to their bedroom, quiet as little mouselings.

* * *

"Now, do be careful, son," Sheila warned as she, Angela, & the three boys watched Alex try to balance himself on Philip's shoulders, clutching the golden star for the Christmas tree in his hand. Everyone held their breath when Alex wobbled & wheeled his arms as he struggled to keep from falling, but then sighed in relief when he finally regained equilibrium at the last moment. After steadying himself, Alex leaned over & smiled as he placed the star on the very top of the tree; everyone applauded & cheered as Philip took Alex & helped him back onto the floor.

"Hooray, the star's up!" Dim shouted merrily, tossing his bowler hat into the air. "Now it's time to open the presents!"

Philip chuckled as Sheila rapped Dim on the head with her knuckles in mock-annoyance. "Keep your trousers on, son," he said jovially. "We musn't rush these things, you know." In a hilariously-ironic manner, though, Alex, Angela, & the boys began squealing in delight as they dashed over to the pile of presents, eagerly scouting for each of their respective gifts, grouping them together, & then preparing for the blessed ritual of the Great Present Unraveling that they awaited with each second. "All right, let's not get our knickers in a twist," Sheila said, sitting down with Philip beside the children.

Georgie, the first to open his surprise gifts, was delighted to see a paint-by-numbers kit, a chess set, a copy of the "_2001: A Space Odyssey_" novel, a woolly striped scarf, & a toy train. Dim was quite pleased with the presents he had been given as well—just a simple assortment of various toys & clothes. Pete was happy as could be when he unwrapped his gifts to find a show-tunes record, a book of jokes & riddles, a couple of pocket novels, some toys & games, a musical poster to hang upon his wall, a bag of marbles, & a brand-new black beret.

Angela was the fourth one to open her Christmas presents, & the joyful girl was tickled pink to see that she had received all the things she'd wanted this year—a hand-made moppet doll (courtesy of Sheila), a good deal of toys & games, a big book of fairy tales, a sketchbook with colored pencils, a set of nice new clothes, & a knitting kit. When Alex unwrapped his gift boxes, he was also pleased with what he had been given: some toys, a Parcheesi game, a pack of cards, two Beethoven records, a biography about the great composer, a couple of jigsaw puzzles, &...

"Oh, almost forgot," Philip said, getting up & walking out through the door into the flatblock hallway. He returned, grunting with effort as he lugged in a large wooden crate with little holes on the sides. Alex, Angela, Dim, Georgie, & Pete couldn't help but stare & gawk at the box in their childlike curiosity. "What's in it, Dad?" Alex asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"You'll find out soon enough, son." Philip wiped the sweat off his brow & stopped to catch his breath repeatedly as he strained to open the crate with a steel crowbar. Finally, he managed to undo the padlock on the box & then gave a startled yelp as he was suddenly knocked backwards onto his bum from the force of the labor. The crate door swung open with a creak, & Alex, Angela, & the boys peeked inside it.

"I don't viddy anything," Dim said when his eyes glanced upon empty darkness. Suddenly, the children gasped as they heard a hissing sound; they looked down & were totally surprised to see a small python slithering around their feet, its forked tongue flickering in & out. Alex's look of shock, however, soon turned to an expression of joy & excitement. "You got it?" he asked his father with a delighted grin.

"Indeed, I did, Alex, son," Philip answered with a nod & a smile. "It took about two months' pay & a bit extra for the defanging, but I certainly managed, didn't I, Sheila?" He received no response from his wife. "Uh, Sheila?" Philip attempted to grab Sheila's attention, but to no avail; the mother was literally paralyzed with fear, unable to utter a sound or even to bolt for the door. She could only stare with wide, terrified eyes at the snake that surreptitiously slithered along the length of her body until its face met hers. The moment Sheila felt the slimy serpent's tongue caressing her cheek, her eyes rolled back into her head & she fell into a dead faint.

"Oh, dear," Philip muttered, watching his wife collapse against her end of the couch. After some unsuccessful attempts to revive her, Philip splashed a glass of water in Sheila's face; she immediately awoke, coughing. "So sorry," Philip apologized, drying Sheila off with his handkerchief. "I hope you weren't scared _too_ badly."

Sheila let out a squeamish moan & felt her blood turn cold as she watched the snake curl itself around her neck like a living scarf & nuzzle her face. Despite the fact that a wild (& likely dangerous) animal had literally become quite attached to her & that she was totally uncertain how the snake would behave towards her, Sheila nevertheless tried to smile & cast away her fears. "No worries, love," she assured Philip with a nervous chuckle. "I'm quite all right now..." Sheila shivered when she felt the dreaded creature giving her another French smooch, yet somehow, she managed to keep from fainting again.

Angela giggled & the boys burst into merry laughter as they watched the spectacle. "Mrs. DeLarge's afraid of snakes!" Dim chortled in a singsong voice, pointing at her teasingly. Sheila commented dryly that he was no further from the truth.

"Can I hold him?" Angela asked with a smile. Sheila was more than glad to get that dratted creature off of her, & while she sat down with Alex on the floor, Angela smiled & gave nary a flinch as she petted & played with the snake. "He's so cute," Angela cooed, stroking the serpent's smooth, scaly skin. "Say, why don't we give this little fellow a name?"

"That's a great idea, Angela!" Pete replied. "Perhaps maybe we could call him something like Bob or Gerald."

"Nah, those eemyas are too common for my liking," Georgie said. "I'd personally prefer to give the snake a really cool name that isn't used as much, like Malcolm or Sherrinford..."

"Or Dim!" Dim added with his simpleton's smile & a bright expression on his face.

Angela responded to Dim's clueless comment with another giggle & a gentle shaking of her head. "_Non, _silly..." She thought for a moment. "I know! We could call him Basil."

"Basil?" Pete asked with a quizzical raise of his eyebrow. "Why would you want to name a snake Basil, of all veshchs?"

Angela gently massaged the top of the contented animal's head with her knuckles. "Well, not too long ago, when I was in Paris, I once watched a cartoon movie with talking mice in it," Angela explained. "The hero in the film was a detective called Basil Of Baker Street, & I remember that I liked the name. I just thought about using it for the snake."

"Now that I think about it," Pete said with a smile, "that wouldn't be such a bad idea after all." He laughed in amusement when the snake slithered out of Angela's lap, slid across the floor to Pete, & entwined itself around his foot, tickling his ankle with his forked tongue.

"It's settled, then," Alex declared, gingerly taking the snake & cradling him in his arms. "From now on, you will be known as Basil Milton DeLarge...The Snake." As Angela & the other boys gathered around to fawn over Basil, Alex grinned at his beloved pet & said, "Welcome to the family!"

* * *

The rest of Christmas Day went by with much more joy & festivity for the DeLarges & their friends. After the presents were opened, everyone sat at the table for a hearty yuletide banquet, helping themselves to all the food they could ever eat for lunch. Then there were all sorts of games, followed by stories & jokes. Afterwards, Philip, Sheila, & the children shared some cookies & cocoa (with plenty of marshmallows), before playing out in the snow & coming back inside for dinner. As soon as everyone had finished supper, they went back into the living room. Sheila got another fire started in the hearth, & while the cheery blaze warmed the chamber, Philip & the kids helped themselves to roasted chestnuts & buttery popcorn for their dessert. Then they sat together & chatted over various topics as the snow continued to fall outside the flat.

"You know, Philip," Sheila said at one point to her husband, "it was on winter evenings like this that you would take out your old violin & play it while we all started a-dancin' & singin' along..."

When he overheard the conversation, Alex looked up from his Beethoven book that he had been reading. "I didn't know you had a violin, Pee," he commented.

"It was a long time ago, son," Philip explained. "Before you were even born, actually. But I haven't played my violin in years; I stopped using it after your mother was afflicted with cancer."

"Do you still have it?" asked Angela.

"I probably might," Philip replied, getting up & heading into the bedroom that he & Sheila shared. "Wait here, & I'll see if I can find it." A few moments later, Philip returned to the living room, carefully cradling a pear-shaped case in his hands. After sitting down on the couch between Alex & Angela, he gently opened the container & swept the dust off the object inside. "Well, lo & behold," Philip said with a smile as he displayed the redwood violin & bow to everyone, "it appears that we've found it at last!"

Once he had positioned himself & readied his instrument, Philip began to slide the bow over the strings of the violin, creating a rich, cheerful melody that resonated through the living room. With delighted smiles on their faces, Alex, Angela, Georgie, Dim, Pete, & Sheila began to dance while Philip continued to play his jovial tune. Round & round everyone went, until Philip finally ended his song & put the violin back in its case. Everyone then sat back down, gasping for the breath they had lost during their spirited dance.

"Well, that was certainly fun," Sheila said, resting a weary hand on her chest as she smiled. "Why don't we listen to some music now?" Sheila turned on the little radio, & once the sound of Christmas songs echoed across the airwaves, the DeLarges & their friends began to croon along to the holiday tunes. At one point, the radio played an instrumental version of "Silent Night"; Alex, his parents, Angela, & the other boys sang the words of the carol softly to themselves as they held candles. When Angela was inflicted with a memory of a similar evening serenade with her parents, she began to cry; Alex held her close & tried to comfort her. "It's OK, Angela," he whispered. "Shhh...It's OK." As she felt Alex gently pulling her into an embrace, Angela dried her eyes & she smiled; as long as she was with Alex & the people who cared for her now, everything would indeed be all right.


	5. Confessions

**A SPARK OF GOOD**

AUTHOR'S NOTES: All "Clockwork Orange" characters are property of Anthony Burgess, except for Angela, who belongs to me. I give many thanks to my dear friend Diane N. Tran for providing her ideas for this fanfic, which would not have been possible without her kind assistance.

Enjoy the story. I welcome all reviews, so long as they're not flames.

* * *

Chapter 5:

Confessions

_10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1!_

A feeling of celebration could be felt from all around in the twilight air on January 1st. The year of 1990 was welcomed by people across the globe with dazzling fireworks, delightful parades, merry music, & colorful lights. Clocks chimed the midnight hour everywhere, & as "Old Granddaddy" rang its broken bell to announce the time, Alex, Angela, Philip, & Sheila cheered & tossed confetti into the air. "Welcome to the New Year!" Philip shouted festively, taking out a rainbow-colored noisemaker & tooting on it.

Sheila sighed wistfully as a dreamy, pensive look appeared on her face. "I can't believe it's 1990 already," she said. "My, how time seems to fly so quickly..." She ran a hand through the curly hairs of her purple wig in her reminiscent daze, letting her chest heave with another sigh. "It seems like only yesterday that our little Alex was dancing around the living room in his pajamas, singing the Nuke-A-Tron jingle in his adorable high-pitched voice..." Her eyes filled with small tears & her voice cracked just a bit as the happy memory came rushing to her mind.

"That _was _yesterday, Sheila," Philip said with a playful chuckle as he gently elbowed his wife in the rib. "Remember when he drank the cup of espresso that I'd left in the fridge?"

After registering her husband's words, Sheila suddenly remembered that the event was indeed all-too-recent & laughed as she realized that her mind had been messing with her. But then again, time was the usual factor in these confounding slip-ups; it could be such a sneaky little snake in the grass whenever it made people think an event had happened earlier or later than it actually had. What seemed like a lifetime could probably just have been the span of a few short minutes; likewise, what sometimes felt like a few short minutes actually lasted for a much longer while. Time was a tricky, cleverly-concealed bandit that was always fleeing from someone, many people said, but then there were others who said that time had much to offer for everyone at the strangest & most unexpected moments. A few seconds of time could be wasted by someone, & yet for another, the same few seconds could also be very well-spent.

_The moment is approaching..._

As she was thinking about all this, Sheila remembered an axiom that her father, the namesake of her darling son Alex, had once told her mother long ago (or was it really more recent than that?): "Time is a most confusing thing, a universal mystery that serves many functions that affect all people of the world in great & small ways too numerable to mention...But in particular, time is notorious for its unpredictability. In the blink of an eye, just one seemingly-simple action committed by a person can set off a chain of events that have the potential to forever alter the lives of everyone who is involved in them. A moment that was once happy & beautiful can quickly become a moment of terrible change & destruction before one is even aware of it...In its own paradoxical way, time is a curse as well as a blessing..."

_The moment is approaching..._

Sheila closed her eyes for a minute, wandering in her state of nostalgia as she looked back on the experiences of the previous year, eventually back to January 31—the evening before Angela had been found, when she'd had that horrible nightmare about Alex that'd been ravaging her sleep for months beforehand. Slowly, she began to recall each & every one of the terrifying images from that hellish chimera...

_The moment is approaching..._

An oh-too-familiar figure with wide, frightened blue eyes & a head topped with short, glossy locks of fair hair suddenly appeared in her lap. Alex was a tiny toddler again, lingering in Sheila's comforting embrace as he buried his face against his mother's chest & hugged her tightly. He was crying...yes, her poor baby was crying his dear heart out. Was something troubling him? No, Alex only wanted to tell her those awful stories again. The ones about Mr. Deltoid touching him in bad places...Sheila knew that Alex didn't mean any harm whenever he told those tales; her son just had an overactive imagination & had probably gotten upset when his babysitter had accidentally brushed against him. But still, Sheila was worried about why Alex would tell stories about such distressing things to her. Mr. Deltoid had been a good friend of Philip & Sheila for as long as they could remember; he was a kind-hearted, decent man who was simply incapable of hurting anyone, much less Alex! He would never even _dream_ of doing something like that to their son...right?

_The moment is approaching..._

Sheila reached out a hand to brush away some stray curls of Alex's hair out of his eyes, then to gently wipe the tears off his face. "It's all right, son," she spoke to him in a gentle voice, but not really feeling any compassion. "Nothing's wrong, Alex. Mr. Deltoid didn't do anything to you. Calm down, son, calm down..." Then the next image—always the first of the images in that accursed dream which truly frightened her—appeared. Alex tilted his head up to gaze at her with an expression of great sorrow & anguish, & in a tiny voice broken with sobs, he asked her, "Why don't you believe me, Mummy? Why can't you see that he hurt me?" He began crying again. "He hurt me..."

_The moment is approaching..._

Now the third image of the nightmare appeared. Alex was older now, a strapping young boy of 8, & he had just walked through the door to the DeLarges' flat with his tattered, dirty backpack in his hands. Alex was covered in bruises & cuts, & dried-up blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Alex, son," Sheila said when she ran to meet him in the threshold, "have you gotten in another fight at school?" Alex did not reply, but glared at her with a bitter, angry expression. Sheila sighed & began tending to her son's injuries with a moist handkerchief. "I've told you, Alex, not to do it anymore. You know it isn't good behavior for a young lad to follow."

"Mom," Alex said in exasperation, "Billyboy wouldn't leave me or my friends alone. During recess, he punched Pete & took Dim's teddy bear away from him. When Dim tried to get it back, Billyboy kicked him in the stomach _really hard_ & made him have to go to the nurse's office. Then he started beating on Pete again, & I—"

"Alex," Sheila tried to tell her son, "you need to tell the teacher about this."

"The teacher won't do anything!" Alex snapped, breaking away from his mother & going over to the window to stare angrily at the outside world. He saw Billyboy on the sidewalk below, making ugly faces & obscene gestures at him before walking off. "She doesn't care about me or my droogs! You don't care, Mum! No one cares at all!" Alex stormed over to his room to sulk, & as he left, he growled & slammed his door with enough force to make the pictures on the walls shake. Feeling guilty & upset, Sheila quickly scurried over to try & comfort Alex, but when she tried to open the door, she realized it was locked & blocked with the rocking chair that she used to rock Alex in when he was so very small...

"You just don't understand, Mother!" Sheila could hear Alex screaming from the lonely world he had trapped himself in, his voice managing to be heard above the booming strains of the second movement of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. "You just don't understand!"

Sheila felt as though her heart would break that very moment; she could hardly keep from crying when she heard Alex crying out in anguish & shouting curses at Billyboy & his cruel friends, the drumbeats in the invisible orchestra on the record punctuating the impact of the boy's fists as they slammed against the floor & walls. How Sheila wanted to help her son with whatever problems he was facing now! How she wanted to understand, _truly_ understand, what Alex was going through each & every day! But why _couldn't_ Sheila understand? Didn't a good mother like her _always_ understand her son?

_The moment is approaching..._

Now the really horrible visions began to play in Sheila's mind. A knife plunging into a shrieking girl's heart. A vampire's face with a wicked, open-mouthed smile, sporting sharp fangs stained with blood. Evil laughter reverberating across Alex's empty room, its walls & floor covered in crimson ooze & the furniture within it toppled over & broken into pieces. Her son standing before his mirror, watching himself transform into a horrifying monster—the same monster that had plagued her nightmares again & again for two years—before going out into the cold, rainy night to commit his string of awful crimes...

_The moment is approaching..._

Completely caught up in the frightening images of her dream, Sheila began hyperventilating & gasping for breath as she struggled to snap out of her state of panic. Only when she felt Philip's hand firmly clasping her shoulder & heard his voice telling her to open her eyes did Sheila finally return to reality & begin to calm down. The Irish-woman inhaled & exhaled deeply as she glanced at her surroundings, comforted to know that everything was all right...for now. When Sheila noticed that Angela was hugging Alex tightly & whimpering fearfully as she stared at her with frightened blue eyes, she sat down by the children on the couch & gave them big hugs. "I'm all right, wee ones," Sheila assured Alex & Angela. "I just got a little scare, that's all." When she heard this, Angela began to relax as well, & her face showed a relieved expression.

Philip took another look at the clock & stretched his arms with a great yawn. "It's past midnight, of course," he said as he put his slippers back on his feet & slipped his robe on over his pajamas. "We should all be going to bed now." Alex & Angela gave Philip & Sheila "goodnight" kisses & wished their parents a happy new year as they went to their room & crawled into bed, getting comfortable enough so they wouldn't have any trouble dozing off. Then, after a short while, Alex, Angela, Philip, & Sheila finally sank into slumber & drifted off to dreamland, where they lingered peacefully until the golden rays of the first sunrise of 1990 crept in through the windows.

* * *

For the next several days, life went on smoothly for the DeLarge family & their friends...all except for one. With each hour that passed after the arrival of the New Year, Angela was starting to show signs of what was likely severe depression. She hardly ate a morsel during most of her meals & never even made an attempt to peck at her food. Her crying spells & subsequent dazes returned again, stronger than ever; Angela often spent _three _hours, instead of the usual one or two, in her coma-like state until she finally awakened & failed to remember the bouts of hysterical sobbing she had gone through earlier.

Instead of playing with toys, or working on her knitting, or doing any of the other activities she used to enjoy doing, Angela now occupied most of her spare time sleeping in bed as she huggled her stuffed bunny, & whenever she was awake, she was tired & drowsy, not paying the least bit of attention to her surroundings or anything that was going on. She was also becoming more agitated & easily startled; she would jump & let out a shriek at the slightest movement or sound, & whenever she felt provoked, she would snap out at people & show an irritable side of her personality that was rarely seen by anyone. And though there were many occasions when Angela didn't talk much with others & kept to herself, she was now becoming even quieter than she'd ever been before. Her silence had become such a common occurrence these days that people sometimes inquired if she was a deaf-mute when she did not respond to the words that they spoke to her.

Alex, Philip, Sheila, & their friends were greatly concerned about Angela when they noticed her recent behavior & frequently worried about what was wrong with her, for they knew that the average child (this is not to say that the following applies to every boy & girl) doesn't normally experience a case of depression as severe as the one that Angela was suffering.

Alex, of course, believed that Angela was not one to fit the mold of "the average child"; he had a gut feeling that this string of melancholy actions was somehow linked to the ones that Angela had displayed many, many times during the course of the year that they had known each other. Come to think of it, her "recent bout of depression" seemed to be an _exacerbation_ of her earlier problems, especially the crying / sleeping spells.

_What was going on with Angela lately?_ Everyone turned this question over in their heads time & time again, but whenever they asked Angela herself, she clammed up & refused to speak with them any further about this. Then, in the least expected instance, there came a day when things took a drastic turn-around. It was to be a day that would forever change the lives of Alex, the DeLarge parents, Pete, Georgie, & Dim...of everyone who knew them & would come to know them in the years that followed afterwards.

* * *

"Good morning, morning, morning, everyone!" chimed the announcer on the DeLarges' little radio. "It's January 11, & everyone in Elstree is probably wondering about today's weather. Well, all day long, we look forward to having nothing but sunshine & clear blue skies. Then, in the late, late evening, at around midnight or so, some slight thundershowers will be heading in, & we can expect to have rainy days for the rest of the week. And now, we'll move on from the weather to..."

As she sat across from Philip at the kitchen table, Sheila switched off the radio & turned her head to cast a troubled glance at Alex & Angela's closed bedroom door. "It's a beautiful morning, Phil," she said wistfully to her husband. "The children musn't be sleeping in on a day like this; they should be up & about, having fun!"

"Sheila," Philip replied as he spread jam & butter on his toast, "you know that Angela hasn't been feeling well. Give her some time to get out of her rut." He looked up with a sigh & gazed with Sheila in the direction that her eyes followed, until he, too, was looking at the door to the children's chamber. "Poor girl," Philip lamented, shaking his head sorrowfully as he went back to fixing his breakfast. "I do hope she's all right."

* * *

As she laid under the covers of the bed she & Alex shared, Angela opened her eyes groggily & moaned weakly as she awakened from her uneasy rest, her stuffed bunny cradled in her arms as the first golden rays of sunlight filtered through the window & bathed her long hair in their brilliant radiance. "Wake up, Angela!" she could hear Alex whispering to her as he gently shook her. "Wake up!" Finally, Angela stretched her arms & yawned, before trying to rub the sleep-glue out of her eyes. When she had finally stirred from her slumber, Angela gave a weak smile at Alex...a smile that was adorned with dried-up tears.

"Good morning," Alex greeted Angela as he gave her a cuddle & kiss on the cheek. "Did you sleep well last night?" He became worried, however, when he saw the sadness in the expression on Angela's face.

Angela's smile turned into a frown & she shook her head in response. "_Non,_" she said in a soft whisper. "I had a bad dream." She gently lay against Alex, resting her crown on his chest as her pretty hair fell down her neck & shoulders like a curtain. "A very, _very _bad dream," Angela added, snuggling Alex & closing her eyes as she tried to block the fresh tears that were flowing slowly down her rosy pink cheeks.

Alex gingerly cradled Angela in his arms & looked at her with a compassionate gaze. "Did it have anything to do with all that's been going on with you the past few days?" he asked with tenderness & concern.

Angela didn't reply for a few minutes, but when she finally answered, her voice broke & her tears began pouring even more. "_Oui,_" she said mournfully with a small nod. "It does." Then she started to cry, & Alex tried his best to comfort her.

"You're feeling _especially_ upset today, though," Alex said, stroking Angela's hair. "Why is that?"

Angela dried her tears with her tiny hand, & when she was finished, she turned to look at Alex with a melancholy expression. "It's the anniversary...of my parents' death," Angela explained. "They left me exactly one year ago." Angela began sobbing silently as she buried her face in her hands, letting the memories of the events of what had happened to them linger in her mind. "And I know that you can tell this, Alex," she whispered in a broken voice, "but I miss them so much. There hasn't been a single day during the time I've been with you that I haven't wished they could be with me again. Don't take this the wrong way, Alex; I love you, & Mr. & Mrs. DeLarge, & all my friends. I really do! But...but I also miss my family. I miss Paris. I wish that things could go back to how they were before..." She closed her eyes, trying to remember the wonderful things in her past.

"I know, Angela," Alex whispered sympathetically, hugging the girl tight & snuggling her. "I'd wish the same thing, too, if my loved ones passed away. But you also have to realize, _chérie_," he added with a serious undertone in his voice, "that we don't have a time machine to take us back to prevent the tragedies that have afflicted our lives; such wonderful technology is out of our hands at this moment. I truly wish it were otherwise, Angela, but right now, we can't change the way things happened." He bit his lip & fought back tears as he recalled all the events in his dark past that _he _would like to have altered. "We can only accept it & understand that everything happens for a reason."

"But what was the reason for my family leaving me?" Angela asked in anguish. "Why did God have to punish me & destroy the lives of everyone I loved & cared for?"

"He wasn't punishing you, Angela," Alex assured his friend. "Bad things happen to _all people,_ even those who are good. But that doesn't mean God hates you in any way; he just wants you to...to..." His voice trailed off when he realized he couldn't think of the right words to say, but then he saw the helpless, depressed look in Angela's watering eyes. "I know you're feeling horrible today, Angela, & for a perfectly-good reason," he said. "But you musn't let your family's deaths get to you. It isn't a healthy thing to do."

"But what _can_ I do, Alex?" Angela asked softly. "What _can_ I do?"

Alex smiled & petted Angela's pretty hair. "Try not to think about it," he said. "An outing will do you good today; we can go & do all sorts of fun things together."

Angela considered the idea, & then returned Alex's smile. "Can Pete, Georgie, & Dim come along, too?" she asked with a hopeful glimmer in her eyes.

"Absolutely!" Alex replied. "We just need to tell all our folks exactly where we'll be going..."

* * *

Not too long afterwards, Alex, Angela, Pete, Georgie, & Dim began their outing; their first stop was at Elstree Mall. The building, a bright, bustling area, was crammed with morning shoppers, & the tweens had a wee bit of trouble making their way through the massive crowds while they traveled from shop to shop. "Now, remember, guys," Alex told his friends, "Mum & Dad were nice enough to give us a lot of money for us to use today, so be sure not to spend it all here." Angela, Pete, Georgie, & Dim agreed to utilize their money wisely, & then followed Alex into the first store they would visit, _Nellie's Novelties_.

When the 5 children entered the gift shop, they browsed around, looking for things that seemed interesting to them. One of the assistants, a brunette in a dark dress, came over to Alex & Dim while they were searching in one part of the store. "Can I 'elp you?" the assistant asked sweetly in a Cockney accent.

Alex looked up at the lady when he heard her address him. "My friend & I are looking for some gag items," he answered. "Have you got anything like that here?" He winked in the assistant's direction.

The assistant laughed & smiled cheerfully at the two boys. "Of course, we do! Come with me!" She led Alex & Dim to a particular section of the store, filled with all sorts of prank trinkets; Alex & Dim began inspecting each object, checking to see how it worked.

One of the gag toys, a lavender plastic flower with a yellow center in it, looked quite interesting to them. "Let's give it to Angela & see what it does!" Dim suggested with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes, recalling how much she loved flowers. The assistant handed Alex a tiny vial of water, which he emptied into the inside of the flower; then he called Angela over, pulled his little "gift" out from behind his back, & presented it to her with a sweet smile.

"For me?" Angela cooed, flattered by Alex's kind act towards her. "Awww...thank you! _Merci!_" No sooner did Angela take the flower in her hands than she was squirted with the water that had been inside it. Her hair & face were completely soaked! Alex, Dim, & even the assistant couldn't help but laugh when they saw this, & it wasn't long before Angela was giggling with them, too.

* * *

After Alex, Angela, & the other boys went shopping at some of the other stores in the mall, they left & then went to the town theater, not too far away. The old movie-house, a Broadway-style brick building with a bulbed marquee over the entrance & curtains hanging in the large windows, was empty today, since most people were at work or with their families at home; however, Alex, Angela, & their friends didn't seem to care as they made their way into the cinema, bought tickets to one of the films, purchased buttery popcorn & candy, & took their seats in the room where their movie would be playing.

"What is this movie we're seeing?" Angela whispered to Alex, her eyes twinkling with excitement as the lights began to dim.

"I saw an advert for it in the papers & slooshied more about it on Em's radio," Alex answered. "I don't wanna spoil it for you, but I really think you're going to love it."

As it turned out, the film was a romantic drama about a crippled street beggar who became infatuated with a beautiful, wealthy opera singer that often performed at the building he made his home near. The boys watched the movie with enraptured gazes & blindly ate their treats for the first half-hour of the film, but Dim eventually became bored & fell asleep. Georgie & Pete, however, kept looking at the screen while they sat by Alex, who was leaning in towards Angela & wrapping an arm around her shoulders, bringing her close to him. Throughout the time she & her friends were at the theater, Angela was completely caught up in the story of the beggar & the woman he admired; at many points during the film, she couldn't stop herself from crying. When the movie came to its most tragic scene & the beggar drowned himself in the river out of grief for the loss of the object of his affections (who had been murdered by her jealous lover), Angela's eyes were practically flooding with tears. Alex had to give his friend a hug & gently shush her as he wiped the crystal drops off of her pretty cheeks. "It's OK, Angela," he whispered so tenderly in her ear. "There's no need to be upset."

"I'm sorry, _mon ami_...but it's just so very sad," Angela said, sniffling & dabbing at her face with a napkin. "The beggar & the singer are both dead."

"But now, Angela, they're also in heaven," Alex told Angela with a smile, giving his friend another hug & nuzzling her. "The beggar is finally with the woman he loves...his angel of music." Angela returned the smile & nodded, agreeing with his words. "And now they'll be together forever," Alex assured her, letting Angela rest her head against his shoulder as he caressed her hair.

"Together forever," Angela echoed dreamily, closing her eyes as she let the memories of a beautiful vision from long ago linger in her mind. Wisps of a familiar melody, played by a band of heavenly instruments, returned to her as the rich voice of an angel—_her _angel—crooned the words to a romantic ballad...

* * *

After the movie was finished & Dim had been woken up from his nap, he followed Alex, Angela, Pete, & Georgie to the local fairgrounds across town. Rides, games, & attractions of all sorts could be seen everywhere, & the five friends had a marvelous time indulging in the delightful wonders of the amusement park. Later that afternoon, near the end of their stay at the carnival, Alex & the other boys decided to go on a large rollercoaster; Angela, however, wasn't too excited about the idea. (She had ridden a rollercoaster before when she was younger, & the experience didn't go very well for her.) When she heard the screams of the riders as they went up & down & all around, she became nervous & started to fidget a little. Of course, her apprehension didn't quite escape the boys' notice.

"Awww, is wittle Angewa scared to go on the wowwy-coaster?" Georgie taunted with a smirk, clutching a pair of balloons in his hand. When Angela did not say anything in response, Georgie turned to Pete, snickering as he elbowed him & said, "So much for your suggestion of a ride, droogie."

Angela looked down, her face flushed with embarrassment, & glowered in annoyance when she heard her friends laughing at her. Alex, however, came to her defense. "It's OK, Angela," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "They don't mean any harm."

"I know," Angela said sadly in response. "But I just wish I wasn't so afraid all the time. I want to be brave...like you."

"You can come on the rollercoaster with us if you really want to," Alex said, smiling at Angela. "I'll ride next to you." Angela agreed, & as soon as the coaster had come to a stop, Alex, Angela, & their friends boarded the three cars in front.

Once everyone had fastened their seatbelts, they held on tight as the snake-like train slid up the slope of a hill & then rapidly rushed down the other side. Angela shrieked, totally surprised by the fierceness of the drop & the increasing speed of the car, & she clung tightly to Alex, shutting her eyes. "Oh, _mon Dieu!_" the frightened girl screamed as she felt her stomach lurch with each twist & turn the rollercoaster took.

Alex laughed, clutching onto his bowler hat as he threw his hands up above him & let his hair blow around in the air. "Isn't this great, Angela?" he cried cheerfully, but then he saw Angela holding onto him with a fearful expression. "You're missing everything, dear! Open your eyes!"

"I can't!" Angela shouted. "I'm too afraid!"

Alex quickly wrapped his arms around Angela & held her close, stroking her hair & face as he whispered in her ear, "Don't be scared, Angela. I've got you. It's all right, love...open your eyes. Look..."

Then, with reluctance, Angela did as she was told, just as the rollercoaster started to speed up. She glanced around at the colors & shapes that flew past her in a blur. She felt the wind rushing against her face. She felt her belly ease its quivering as her body became one with the coaster-car. Then Angela turned to face Alex, who still held her in his arms & smiled at her, & she gently embraced him in return, resting her head against his chest as her hair flowed all around her. "I'm flying," she whispered to herself in marvel.

Alex gave her a kiss on her crown adorned with luscious golden curls. "Yes," he whispered lovingly to her, "you're flying...with me."

Finally, after speeding over some more curves & loop-de-loops, the rollercoaster slowed & came to a gentle stop; Alex helped Angela out of her car & walked with her to the edge of the fairgrounds, with Georgie, Pete, & Dim following them close behind. Then the five left the carnival & took an autobus to the Municipal Gardens, which weren't too far away. Once they had arrived at their destination, Alex, Angela, & their friends entered the zoo & wandered around its different sections, looking at all the animals. They saw baby kangaroos & koalas cuddling their mommies, lions roaring as they ate at large pieces of steak, vibrantly-colored scarlet macaws & other parrots singing & squawking as they flapped & fooled around in their cages, & monkeys playing in the branches of large banyan trees (just to name a few).

At one point, Alex & the others went to the part of the zoo where the sea animals & marine mammals were kept. Dolphins & porpoises chirped & splashed about in the chilly pool they shared, & penguins squawked as they waddled across the ice beneath their webbed feet. Alex, Angela, Pete, Georgie, & Dim smiled while they watched the animals from behind the wall that separated them.

Dim guffawed when he saw a family of seals resurfacing from the water & clumsily making their way onto land, barking like dogs as they flapped their flippers against the frost. "Hey," he called out to his friends, "check this out!" Dim began to clap his hands together as he smiled goofily, imitating the woof-like sounds of the seals. Alex, Angela, Pete, & Georgie laughed in amusement while they watched Dim carrying on with his display.

"Arf! Arf! Arf!" Dim cried. "Viddy me, everyone! I'm a big, bolshy seal!" Now he started to flop around on the ground, still sporting his large, oafish grin & smacking his "flippers". His pals continued to giggle, quite entertained by the act, but one of the people standing by them, an old lady, noticed Dim & looked at Angela with a puzzled stare. "Is your friend feeling all right?" she asked in a hushed voice as she briefly pointed to Dim, not entirely certain of what was going on.

"_Oui, __madame._ Of course, he is," Angela replied with a smile. "He's just being silly."

The old woman nodded & muttered in understanding, before going off with her granddaughter to another part of the zoo. Dim soon grew tired & got back up onto his boot-covered feet, panting for breath as he leaned against the banister of the wall. "I'm feeling a bit tired right now," he said wearily, placing his hand on his large tummy & patting it. "And hungry."

Alex gently took Dim by the hand as he led him & his friends to one of the restaurants in the center of the zoo. "Why don't we all stop & have a snack?" he suggested. "That should help you feel better in no time, Dim."

* * *

After Alex, Angela, Dim, Georgie, & Pete had their "bout of mounch" & went to see some more of the animals, they walked together to the nearby city park (where they had taken a splash in the autumn leaves & gone ice-skating not too long ago). The sun was starting to peek out from behind the clouds, & the winter snow began melting into puddles of crystal-blue water that reflected the late-afternoon daylight. The layer of ice that had once covered the surface of the lake in the park's center was almost-completely gone, & people were now taking boat rides across the pond.

"There's an empty boat with lifejackets & paddles over there," Georgie said, pointing yonder. "Let's all go in that one!"

Once the tweens had boarded the boat & put on their floating-vests, Pete took the oars & began rowing everyone around the lake, singing the words to one of his favorite show-tunes from the record he'd been given for Christmas. "_We were sailing along,_" he crooned, "_on Moonlight Bay..._" Dim bobbed his head cheerfully along to the song as Georgie placed his own "gulliver" in his hands & rolled his eyes in mock-annoyance at his portly friend.

Angela was quite enjoying the experience, & while she glanced around at the beautiful scenery while the boat glided across the water, Alex slipped his left hand into her right & scooted closer to her side. When Angela turned her head for a second to watch a swan swimming nearby, she was surprised to see Alex sitting face-to-face with her, taking her dainty paws in his own as he smiled mischievously at her. "How about a kiss, sweetheart?" he cooed, leaning in towards her as he puckered up his lips.

Angela, overcome with embarrassment, broke away from Alex & inched further & further back as her cheeks turned red as beets. "_Non,_" she said, trying to stifle her bashful giggles with her hand.

"_Pleeeeease?_" Alex begged Angela with a fake frown & puppy-dog eyes, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to bring her in closer. When she felt Alex smooching all over her face, Angela couldn't keep from laughing as she playfully pushed Alex away & told him to stop (she knew he meant no harm towards her & only wanted to filly around), but in doing so, she accidentally made the boat wobble. The children held their breath as Angela moved back towards Alex & the boat became level.

"What happened?" Dim asked, leaning out over the edge of the vessel to look into the water. "Did you see a fishy or something?"

"Dim, don't—"

It was too late. Dim bent over too far, causing the boat to topple over & the tweens to fall into the pond. The boat was floating upside-down by the time Alex, Angela, & the others resurfaced, gasping for breath & shivering violently in the cold waters of the lake. "Let's get back on dry land!" Pete proposed, swimming over with his friends to the shore. (Alex stayed behind for a moment, however, to put the boat back upright & place the oars in its hull.) Once everyone had made their way onto the lake-bank, they shook the water off of themselves & then sat down on a nearby park bench; of course, they weren't completely dry, & they continued to shudder & shake in the chilly weather.

"Well, what do we do now?" Pete asked, looking up at Alex with a puzzled expression.

Alex shook his head & shrugged in response. "I'm not quite sure this time, Pete," he said. Then he saw an open horse-drawn carriage going down the road & stopping by their side of the park. "Anyone up for a joyride?" Alex called out merrily, getting up & adjusting his bowler hat as he went to board the stagecoach. Angela, Dim, Georgie, & Pete nodded in agreement & went onto the carriage with Alex, laughing & cheering in delight as they traveled through the city streets.

* * *

The last stop for Alex, Angela, & the boys on their day out was the Belle Fleur, one of the most refined restaurants in Elstree. Alex decided earlier that a dinner there would be a marvelous treat for his friends, who were delighted with their proposed spot for supper (& eager to sample the wares on the menu). As soon as the five tweens were shown to their table & left to wait for their server, they couldn't help but gaze around the restaurant, fascinated by the French-oriented decor & the elegant atmosphere provided by the overhanging crystal chandeliers, the playing orchestra, & even the well-dressed diners.

"I've never really been to a restaurant like this," Pete commented. "But I must say, for my first time, I'm not the least bit disappointed." As he often did to show his satisfaction with whatever pleased him, Pete flashed a small smile in Alex's direction, his silent way of thanking his friend for going through hell & high water (or at least the money his parents had lent him) to provide an excellent cap-off to the wonderful day everyone had had. With nothing but the warmest feelings in his heart, Alex returned the smile with an additional nod of his head to signal "you're welcome".

Suddenly, Dim let out a shiver as he clasped his arms around himself, rubbing his body in an effort to keep warm. "Bleeding Bog, it's _freezing_ in here!" he complained. While Pete & Georgie didn't mind the chilly temperature so much anymore, Alex began shivering, too. His teeth clicked & his skin paled a bit as his frame trembled like a leaf on a limb; in fact, Alex was so caught up in his frigid discomfort that he failed to notice Angela cooing sympathetically, "Oh, _vous__ la petite chose __pauvre_ You poor little thing..."

The small remainder of Angela's words went through one ear & out the other, yet it wasn't long before Alex felt the girl's dainty hand sliding over his own in a comforting touch. After some minutes, Alex's shivering ceased, & his body felt snug & toasty again. Or maybe it was the sensation of Angela's tender skin upon his & the gentle way she caressed him that filled his blood, his heart, & his very soul with such a warm, soothing feeling...

Unaware of what was going on in Alex's mind, Angela had become lost in her own dream world. Looking at the French-style ornamentation of the restaurant made her think of her old home in Paris, & the orchestra's lively rendition of "_Sur__ Le Pont __D'Avignon_" quickly sent her on a voyage into a bygone realm through a seemingly-endless string of flashbacks & vivid memories that defined every moment of her childhood. Going to the _boulangerie_ with her mama to buy bread, playing with her favorite toys on lazy Saturday afternoons, rushing happily into her father's arms when he came home from work, painting with her mother, snuggling under the covers with her stuffed animals as her parents tucked her in, the sounds of the bedtime stories & lullabies that sent her drifting to slumber...

Oh, there was so much Angela had lost during the tragedy of last winter, & how it depressed her to know that she would never be able to go back to the life she once knew!

Near the end of her state of mental wandering, as she replayed the horrible events during her family's arrival in Elstree a year ago & all that had happened afterward in her mind, Angela remembered the name of the restaurant she was at with her friends—the Belle Fleur. The Beautiful Flower. Now realizing this, Angela's heart began to sink, as she recalled that her mother & father used to call her by that very name.

"My _belle fleur,_ you look so pretty in that dress!"

"_Belle fleur,_ let's not be sad. Tomorrow will be a better day."

"Run, _belle fleur!_ Run while you can!"

"_NO, MOTHER! I WON'T LEAVE YOU!_" Panic gripped Angela like a vise, & she bolted straight up as a blast of cold fear shot through her body. The shrieked words that escaped her mouth caught the attention of nearly everyone in the restaurant, but Angela hardly noticed. Her heart pounded furiously, her breathing was quick & heavy, & her eyes were wild with panic, & even when she managed to calm down, she still looked upset by whatever she had been thinking about.

"Angela," Georgie asked in concern, "are you OK?"

Angela faced her top-hat-wearing friend with a pained gaze. "I'm...fine," she said softly, trying to force a smile. When her attempts failed & tears fell from her eyes, the four boys were stricken with pity for their friend. They had taken her on the outing to rid her mind of the memories that plagued her so, & they didn't want such dark thoughts to ruin the wonderful moments everyone had shared together.

"Say," Dim said with his usual, broad simpleton's smile, "mind if I tell you a joke that Pete told me the other day?"

"Go ahead," Angela replied, drying her moist eyes with her hand.

"Why is it that the ghost wanted an extra drink at the bar on New Year's Eve?" A brief pause for dramatic effect, & Dim continued, "He wanted to get into the spirit!"

Though the joke was simple, it was nevertheless a funny one that brought chuckles of amusement from the four boys. Angela began laughing as well, & soon, she returned to her happy self, much to the delight of her friends.

"There's our baby doll, all smiles again," Georgie said, wrapping his arm around Angela & bringing her in close for a quick hug. Then once he & the girl parted from the embrace, the dashing boy's eyebrows went up sharply, & his pleasant smile took on a ravenous tone as he saw someone heading in their direction. "Say," Georgie remarked, "any of you malchicks hungry & howling for our evening meal? Well, I'm verily certain it shan't be long before we receive it."

A pretty, blue-haired lady in a maroon blouse & a matching skirt came up to the tweens' table, smiling as she handed out menus & baskets of breadsticks. Once everything had been passed around, the waitress took a notepad from her pocket & prepared to write down orders. "_Que peux-je vous amener?_" she asked as she did this. "What can I get for you?"

Alex & his friends muttered softly to one another, & then finally, after gazing at their menus, they decided what their dinners would be. "I'll have the _aligot_, _bouillabaisse_, & _fondue savoyarde_," Alex said, "while Pete will have the _choucroute garnie_ & _escargots de bourgogne_. Dim wants the _biftek frites_, _pansette de gerzat_, & _boudin blanc_, & Georgie would like some _pochouse_ & _ratatouille_."

"What about your little lady-friend there?" the waitress asked, gesturing to Angela. In response, Alex leaned in towards the waitress & whispered in her ear about what food should be prepared for Angela. The waitress jotted the information down, gave a silent nod to show her understanding, & quickly scuttled off to the kitchen to show the orders to the cooks.

As they waited for their supper, Alex, Angela, & the boys passed the time with pleasant conversations, jokes, & wistful stories of long-ago. Finally, the waitress returned with the meals for Alex, Georgie, Dim, & Pete; Angela's dinner was being made, she said, & would be at the table shortly. Bearing this in mind, the four boys hungrily dug into their food; Alex, though, glanced at Angela in mild concern. Aside from a meager breakfast, a quick lunch at the mall, & some small snacks during the outing, Angela hadn't eaten very much. No doubt her stomach was grumbling now, begging for something to fill it.

"You haven't had a lot to eat today," Alex remarked, scooting over to Angela with his platter of _fondue savoyarde_. "Why don't you snack on something to hold you off until your dinner arrives?"

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt," Angela said with a small smile. She daintily made a reach for a cube of bread to dip in the wine-&-cheese sauce, but Alex playfully swatted her hand away. "Allow me," he said with a roguish twinkle in his deep blue eyes, swirling the bread-cube in the sauce & bringing it to Angela's tiny lips.

"I can feed myself," Angela gently protested, flattered & yet puzzled by Alex's gesture.

The boy grinned suavely as his impish gaze became tender & yet seductive. "Pretend you're a baby," he whispered, placing the fondue-coated bread into Angela's moistening mouth. The girl let the taste of the morsel fill the tiny buds on her tongue as she chewed & swallowed it, before gazing at Alex with a satisfied smile. "That was _délicieux,_" she said. "Might I have more?"

"By all means," Alex replied, dipping another bread-cube in the sauce & offering it to Angela, who greedily caught the tiny treat with her tongue & ate it. As Angela continued to devour the delicacies she was given, she made soft murmurs of satisfaction while she chewed & savored the mouthfuls, & her face became flushed with a rosy tint of pink as the color returned to the rest of her flesh. Of course, when the fondue was all gone, she would be craving more food to satisfy her hungry tummy...perhaps a bit _more _after that.

Watching Angela fulfilling her ravenous hunger in such a sumptuous way sent Alex into a deep, passionate trance. Without really thinking about what he was doing, Alex absent-mindedly brought the girl onto his lap, letting his hands slide up from her rump to her delicate shoulders, & then moving down to gently cup the top & sides of her chest, covered by the soft cloth of her white blouse with the column of little faux-crystal buttons...

_Oh, Angela...I need you. I need you so badly! You're an angel sent from heaven to heal the pain & sorrow I've felt since I was a little child...but will we ever fly away together in the safety of each other's arms, as I've always dreamt we would? Oh, how I hope we will fly away one day, Angela! I want you to be my angel...I want you to protect & love me forever, just as I yearn to do the same to you..._

Angela, meanwhile, had pushed the platter of fondue savoyarde away, & was eagerly awaiting the delicious dinner surprise that was to arrive in a matter of moments. A tense, hot feeling seared within her bosom, however, quickly interrupting her food-starved thoughts. "What's going on?" Angela asked in an anxious quiver, terribly ashamed of the arousing sensations that swarmed through her body. "Why do I feel so—" Then she turned to see Alex smiling strangely at her, his hands now behind his back.

"Alex," Angela asked with a quizzical, blue-eyed stare, "why are you smiling at me that way? _Allez-vous très bien?_"

"Yes," Alex answered weakly as he moved in to kiss her. "I'm quite all right..."

His face came closer & closer to Angela's. His lips softly brushed hers. And then...

"Hey, lover boy!" Pete suddenly alerted. "Your pishcha's getting cold!"

With a sheepish grin, Alex helped Angela off his lap, & scooted back to his old spot, looking terribly ashamed of himself as he went back to eating his _bouillabaisse_ & the last of his _aligot_. He ignored the remaining pieces of his _fondue savoyarde_, trying to push his earlier thoughts of Angela out of his mind. Although Alex treated Angela like a sister (& in a way, she was, since Alex's parents had unofficially adopted her), his feelings for her were deep & passionate...but Alex was not sure that Angela was ready for that kind of relationship.

While Alex knew very little about the events that led Angela into his life, he could guess that they were horrible enough for her to keep secret from everyone. And yet, there was so much pain attacking her troubled soul that she revealed to Alex without even knowing it. The way Angela screamed & cried tears of agony in her sleep, calling out vainly for her loved ones. The way she fell into those spells of hysterical sobbing & the placid dazes that followed afterwards. The way she would suddenly snap out of her trances in a wild panic, shrieking at some invisible presence or danger that seemed to threaten her.

But whatever had happened to Angela that caused these behaviors, Alex knew that it greatly upset her to the point where she needed a night-light to provide some comfort when she went to sleep on stormy evenings. Alex also couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that somehow a boy was involved in that chaotic chain of events...perhaps, this lad may have even _contributed _to it. Of course, Alex's guesses were just as good as anybody's, but if there was indeed a boy in Angela's life, he had probably done something to harm her. Something terrible. And that was why, Alex felt, he should wait until he felt Angela could trust him & feel safe enough to be in a deep, loving, romantic relationship with him.

_But when will that be?_ Alex thought to himself, as he stared at Angela with tender longing in his eyes. _I don't think I can wait another minute without telling Angie how I feel about her..._

The sound of approaching footsteps quickly brought Alex out of his love-starved thoughts. With an impish smile, he went over to Angela & placed his hands over her tiny eyes. "Your dinner surprise will be here soon," Alex said excitedly. "I really think you're going to like it!"

The food was finally placed on the table in front of Angela, & with a merry cry of "Ta-da!", Alex removed his hands from the girl's eyes, which quickly widened in shock when she saw the dish that had been ordered for her; a plump, cooked goose rested on top of a large platter, with beans & sausages on the side. Upon taking a single, but prolonged, look at the food, Angela's eyes began watering, & a single tear fell down her cheek. The poor girl could barely refrain from bursting into sobs, as the rest of the diners began gazing at her with tender looks of compassion while they muttered & moaned sympathetically.

"Nice going, Alex," Dim muttered sarcastically. "See what you did? Now she's crying again."

"I didn't mean to upset her," Alex protested, looking dismayed himself. "I only wanted—I thought she would like the _cassoulet_ I ordered for her!"

"I do like it, Alex," Angela blurted, dabbing at her eyes with her dinner napkin. "I really do...It's just that..." She paused painfully with a deep sigh, before taking her silverware & eating the _cassoulet_ in sad, silent bites. "Oh, it's just like Mama used to make for me," Angela whispered with wistful longing in her voice, once she had finally finished the platter. "Mother's _cassoulet_ was famous in my old neighborhood. Whenever she prepared it, everybody in Paris would come to ask for the recipe. _Mère_ never had trouble handing it out when she brought her own _cassoulet_ to a city picnic; cooking was her second-greatest passion, next to the painting she did every day. When I didn't have school, Mama would usually let me come to her home-studio & paint with her. She always loved the pictures I made...she often told me that one day, I would become an artist, just like her." Angela sighed again & closed her eyes, letting the image of her beloved mother fill her mind. "Oh, Mama...Mama..."

A wave of realization swept over Alex. _Her mother,_ he mused to himself. _She must have died around the time Angela came here, perhaps earlier. Maybe Angela & her dad moved to Elstree to leave behind all the bad memories..._But where was her father, then? It had been almost a year since Angela had been found by Alex & his friends on that snowy morning, & surely Mr. Westbrook must have been worried sick about his darling daughter. But Alex had never seen any missing posters for Angela, nor had he ever heard of someone asking around for her; come to think of it, Alex never heard Angela mention her father. Not once. But even so, Alex was certain that he had found a piece of the puzzle that was Angela's past; perhaps she would provide him with the other missing parts.

"Angela," Alex asked softly as he gingerly brushed away the tears flowing down the girl's rosy cheeks, "what happened to your mother & father?" The moment Alex spoke the last word of his question & gently placed his palm on his friend's shoulder in a comforting gesture, he felt Angela's muscles becoming tense & her skin growing hot & flushed with emotion. A strange guttural sound, like a cross between a fierce growl of rage & a wild, distressed sob, came from her throat.

Alex quickly withdrew his hand from the place he had touched Angela, his face sporting a sudden look of concern. "Angela?" the boy asked timidly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong!" Angela snapped. "Just don't talk anymore, please!"

"But, Angela," Alex protested as he reached his hand out to her, "I want to help..."

Angela's reaction happened faster than Alex could prepare for it; in a matter of seconds, the boy found himself struggling to regain his bearings after he was pushed roughly aside & his face became submerged Georgie's bowl of unfinished ratatouille. "_I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!_" Angela screeched at Alex, her tears of sorrow instantly becoming those of bitter anger. "_JUST GET AWAY FROM ME! PRETEND YOU NEVER EVEN MET ME!_" As the other restaurant-goers watched on with looks of shock & pity, Angela dashed out onto the building's balcony, crying. Alex attempted to follow her, but decided it was no use. Without saying a word, Alex made his way out of the booth & trudged into the men's washroom with a sullen face, as Pete, Georgie, & Dim watched on with sympathetic frowns.

* * *

About a half-hour passed, & during the whole time, no sounds came from the restroom except for flushing commodes & running sink-water. Most of the Belle Fleur restaurateurs had already finished eating & gone home, but Dim & Pete were solemnly dining on desserts as Georgie left the table & strode over to the washroom door. When he had received no response after a couple of knocks, Georgie called out, "You can't stay in there forever, you know..."

"Leave me alone, Georgie," Alex grumbled, as his voice echoed through the spacious room. "I'm fine."

Georgie, however, wasn't convinced. With an unimpressed roll of his eyes, he opened the door & stepped into the restroom. The place appeared to be empty, but Georgie looked down & saw a pair of feet peeking out from underneath a stall. When the boy opened the unlocked door, he was surprised to see Alex sitting on the floor, crying softly. Alex looked up & saw Georgie standing before him; his expression immediately switched from melancholy to mad. "Can't you see I wish to be left alone?" Alex snapped, trying to dry his eyes. "I don't want to talk to you right now!"

Georgie winced, stung by Alex's harsh comments. Then his face became soft with compassion, & he stooped down to his friend's level, offering a hand to help him up. "There, there, little droogie," Georgie assured Alex. "I'm sure that veshchs will work out sooner or later."

Alex wiped the last of his tears away, but kept sniffling & frowning as he took Georgie's hand & hoisted himself up onto his feet. "But Georgie," Alex said painfully, "you saw what happened with Angela earlier. Don't try & deny that!"

"I'm not," Georgie explained. "But that doesn't mean you can't try to make things right."

"What exactly do you mean?" Alex asked after a short pause.

Georgie cracked a crafty, yet warm, smile. "I think you know precisely what I mean, little Alex..." He placed his hand on Alex's shoulder gently, staring into his blue eyes. "Go on," he told his friend. "Go talk to Angela. She needs you now more than ever."

Another silence passed, & then Alex smiled back at Georgie. "All right," he said. "I'll try to make my appy polly loggies." With that, Alex made his way to the washroom door, but before he left, he turned to face Georgie. "Promise you'll save dessert for us?" he asked playfully.

"Sure," Georgie affirmed with a wink. "Unless it's chocolate mousse."

* * *

The chilly January air blew gently, sending small shivers up & down Alex's spine as he stood at the doors that led to the Belle Fleur's balcony, casting nervous glances at Angela from inside the restaurant every few seconds. After taking a peek outside for what may have been the 9th time, Alex finally let out a heavy sigh as he took a step onto the balcony. He knew he had to face Angela, but he didn't know what he'd do if she never spoke to him again...

"Angela..." He paused, sighed again, & continued apologetically, "I'm sorry I upset you. I truly am. I knew I shouldn't have asked about your parents; it was completely rude & inconsiderate of me, & I know you're still upset about whatever..."

To Alex's relief, Angela turned to face him with tenderness in her eyes. While tears still flowed down her face (she had spent a good half-hour of crying), she tried her best to offer a warm smile. "I'm the one who should be sorry, Alex," she said. "I shouldn't have lashed out at you...not like that."

"Hey, it's OK," Alex said with a gentle smile, going over to Angela & sitting beside her on the balcony bench as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders & hugged her. "Let the water flow under the bridge." Soon, Alex followed Angela's gaze up to the clear night skies. "What are you looking at?" he asked curiously, wondering what it was that had attracted her attention.

"The stars," Angela whispered reverently, sporting a look of wistful longing. The girl pointed a small finger at the twinkling gems in the vast violet-blue ocean above, as Alex watched on with fascination & childlike awe. His emotions were tinged with pity, however, when he saw the look in Angela's still-moist eyes as they reflected the starlight. "On clear nights like this," Angela said in a voice that broke with sorrow, "my mother & father usually took me out to the countryside on the outskirts of Paris. Father would always bring his telescope, & then we would sit on the grass, gazing at all the stars together..."

Tears began springing to Angela's eyes again, & the lovely visions of starlight became distorted by the tiny drops. "Whenever we did this, Mama & Papa would always tell me about the constellations...who they were shaped after & all the tales about them & their adventures." Her chest heaved with small sobs. "One of my favorite stories that I loved to hear time & time again was the legend of the princess Andromeda & how the great hero Perseus saved her from the wicked sea monster. Mama always told me how much I reminded her of Andromeda because I was so fair, & wise, & compassionate...She hoped one day I would find my Perseus, a hero who would help me when I was in trouble & would love me forever..."

Angela's fingers trembled as they gently touched the silver necklace she wore. "A little more than a year ago, on the last Christmas day my family had together, I found this necklace in a tiny box under the tree. _Mère_ had the finest jeweler in Paris craft it for me, & she painted the silver stars on the necklace herself. I remember the note that came with it...

"'_My little Andromeda, here is a Crux that you'll always be able to see, even in the daytime. Whenever you need a Perseus to watch out for you in times of trouble, just place your hand upon this necklace, & everything will be all right. I love you so much, mon belle fleur. Merry Christmas._'" Angela paused & her face contorted in distress, her soul totally consumed by the grief she had felt each day since then. "'_With all my blessings...__Mère,_'" she finished, before collapsing against Alex & then letting a flood of hot tears fall like the rain that haunted her in her darkest dreams.

Alex became nervous; for once, he wasn't sure how he could heal Angela's pain. But he knew he had to try. "Please don't cry, Angela," Alex pleaded, helping the girl onto his lap & gently embracing her body, which shook with violent, agonized sobs. "Don't be upset, love! Everything will be OK. I promise." He kissed her hair & began rocking her gently, like a baby in her mommy's arms, as he whispered comforting words in her ear.

The sensation of smooth swaying quickly calmed Angela, & her hysterical tears gave way to quiet breathing, as a serene smile formed on her lips & her eyes closed peacefully. It wasn't long before Angela slipped into her tranquil trance, resting her head on Alex's chest; as the girl murmured softly in her near-sleep, Alex smiled while he held Angela & continued to rock her.

Oh, how Alex's heart swelled with joy as he watched Angela linger in his sweet embrace, her mind free of the dark thoughts that had troubled it before! Her soft, smooth skin & long blonde tresses were bathed in the glow of the pale moonlight, which illuminated her figure like the iconic radiance surrounding a white-winged seraph. _She __is__ an angel,_ Alex thought as he caressed Angela & played gently with her golden locks of hair. _My angel..._

He bent to kiss her, & then stopped when he heard the sound of the restaurant orchestra launching into a slow, seductive ballad. Caught up in the music, Alex closed his eyes & bobbed his head gently in time to the tune; after a few minutes, Angela finally stirred from her placid daze. When Alex's ears perked up to hear Angela's giggles of amusement, the boy cracked a bashful smile & quickly rose to his feet, bowing chivalrously to Angela as he offered his palm to her. "_Peux j'avoir cette danse__, mon __cher?_" he asked.

Smiling coyly, Angela took Alex's hand & began to dance with him to the music playing within the Belle Fleur. Their steps were slow & simple at first, & each time their feet touched the ground, they counted off a makeshift beat to the orchestra's melody. And as Alex & Angela danced, a singer's beautiful voice could be heard from inside the restaurant...

_**La fierté peut tenir mille procès,  
**__**Le fort ne tombera jamais  
**__**Mais comme j'ai regardé les étoiles sans vous,  
**__**Mon âme a pleuré...**_

Alex smiled sweetly at Angela while his right hand gently wrapped around her back, bringing her closer to him. The dance became more intimate as Angela laid her head on Alex's chest, her face sporting an expression of serene pleasantness. While Alex's left hand gingerly cupped her crown & stroked the flaxen hair that covered it, Angela sighed longingly as she listened to the sound of his heartbeat. The pounding was quiet & slow, just like their rhythmic footsteps...

As he held Angela in his arms while the two continued to dance, Alex was in a similar state of euphoria. His eyes welled with tears of joy as he saw Angela clinging tenderly to him, never wanting to leave his side. He could feel her tiny fingers slowly sliding around the nape of his neck & interlocking together as she warmly embraced him. _Our love was truly meant to be,_ Alex thought. _But how can I tell her that I need her just as much as she needs me?_

_**Ceci soulève le coeur est plein de douleur,  
**__**Oh, oh, le faire mal...  
**__**Parce que je vous embrasse, oh...  
**__**Je vous embrasse, oh...**_

The singer eventually silenced her voice as the orchestra's music swelled in a rousing instrumental break. Now Angela & Alex were twirling across the balcony under the sea of stars, smiling as they gazed into one another's eyes. They must have danced this way for what seemed like hours, yet it was only a few minutes before Alex & Angela slowed their pace, the music returned to its original tempo, & the singer performed again.

_**Votre amour est profond, pur, et vrai  
**__**Un cadeau à moi à jamais  
**__**Parce que je vous embrasse, oh...  
**__**Je vous embrasse, oh...**_

The song was becoming softer & even slower, signaling the approaching end. Alex & Angela's dance came to a steady halt, & then the two stood for a short moment. Then Alex clasped Angela tightly to him & held her close as he gazed deeply into her beautiful eyes, the oceanic orbs of deep liquid azure that reflected the bright starlight in the skies above. As Alex embraced Angela & continued to stare dreamily at her, his fingers brushed upon the silver cross around her neck with the little stars, & he gently clasped the charm in his palm, which shook & sweated in his passionate frenzy. His mind wandered with romantic thoughts, & his heartbeat became louder & faster as he concentrated on those beautiful pictures. Oh, his love for her was like a tidal wave, & there was no way he could escape its powerful impact!

_**Où vous **__**êtes maintenant?  
**__**Où vous êtes maintenant?  
**__**Parce que je vous embrasse, je vous embrasse, oh...**_

Angela let out a startled cry of surprise, but it was quickly muffled by the force of Alex's lips pressing against hers. As his fingers sifted through Angela's hair as though it were beams of morning sunshine, Alex's nose & eyelashes gently brushed against Angela's own while he nuzzled her pretty face & his kiss became deeper & deeper. Finally, he broke away & opened his eyes...only to see Angela's eyes widen & her mouth gaping open in astonishment.

Alex quickly became upset & embarrassed by his rash impulse. "Angela," he tried to apologize, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to—" His words were cut off as Angela leaned in to kiss Alex, wrapping her arms around him as they launched into a long, affectionate embrace. Alex murmured in sweet satisfaction as Angela's lips caressed his own lips tenderly & her tongue tickled the inside of his mouth. His body became hot & it blazed with passion that swarmed through his bloodstream like a soothing strain of malaria—it was toxic & sending him into romantic hallucinations, but he didn't want to be cured of this wonderful disease.

The two must have kissed for a small eternity, it seemed, until Angela finally broke away & stared deeply into Alex's baby-blue eyes. "I love you, too," she whispered with an enamoured smile, taking Alex in her arms again & closing her eyes as she awaited the moment that was to come. Their lips touched, & it felt so much like heaven.

* * *

Once Alex & Angela had said "goodbye" to Pete, Georgie, & Dim for the day, they dashed into their room, quickly shutting the door behind them as they gasped for the much-needed air they had lost during the race home. Just for a lark, Alex decided to move behind Angela & place his arms around her, but gradually, he became aware of the feelings he began to absorb as he embraced her. He had never noticed before how smooth & soft Angela's ivory flesh was...nor had he truly experienced the feeling of her chest rising & falling with each breath she took...

Soon, a plethora of wonderful emotions he had never felt before awakened in Alex, & as his hands glided gently over Angela's body, he kissed her neck & buried his face in her long, luscious golden curls. When she realized what was going on, though, Angela opened her eyes with a startled gasp as she saw Alex taking off her clothes. When Angela had finally been undressed, he kissed & nibbled everywhere from her neck to her delicate shoulders, while his hands gingerly caressed her breasts.

The tender touching grew to be too much for Angela, who broke away & turned to face Alex with an aggrieved stare. Though she was a little nervous about what Alex was doing to her, Angela was _truly _upset about what Alex wanted _her_ to do. She couldn't do this...not after what had happened to her in her dark & troubled past. Angela's mind raced with so many thoughts, so many emotions, but above all else, she was certain that she couldn't have sex with anyone...not even the man she loved.

Noticing the fear in Angela's eyes, Alex smiled & drew his beloved closer to him. When her body started shaking violently & she began weeping, Alex placed a finger on Angela's lips, silencing her sobs. "Shh, my darling..." he whispered softly. "Shh..." Angela was about to protest, but she was further silenced when Alex placed his mouth on hers & began kissing her with the utmost passion, his hands fondling her body in every place they could touch.

Angela closed her eyes & sighed gently as Alex planted loving, tender kisses upon her flesh, which tingled & grew warm while she sank into a deep, soothing sensation that filled her with great pleasure—a sort of pleasure she had never experienced before, but now wanted to feel with her sweetheart. With a quivering lip, Angela kissed Alex back, letting him touch her in places where she had once been harmed by a monstrous devil...places that her angel was now blessing with his beautiful, divine caress. She dared not utter so much as a whisper, lest the sound of her mortal voice spoil the magic that was unfolding, as Alex gingerly put his hand between her legs & began to stroke her. Her ecstasy increased, & she let out a tiny whimper, realizing she couldn't contain the feelings of joy & pure happiness that swarmed through her.

"Oh, Alex..." Angela gasped, overwhelmed by the bliss & the sweet heat that filled her nether regions, as she clung to Alex & embraced him. "Oh...oh...it feels so wonderful..." She sighed again, feeling her lips throb as Alex took off his shirt & clasped her to his chest.

Alex kissed Angela on her temple, brushing her locks of hair aside as he whispered in her ear, "Do you want it?"

Angela felt tears of sheer delight springing to her eyes & rolling down her cheeks as she nodded her head. "Yes," she replied, shuddering quietly. "I want it so badly."

Alex finished undressing, & then carried Angela over to the bed, laid her down, & moved on top of her, making sure to cover their nude bodies with his blankets. Then he stared at Angela & smiled lovingly as he asked in a hushed voice, "Do you want me?"

Angela kissed Alex & rested her head on the pillows, letting her golden hair spill around her pretty face like an angel's halo. "Yes...I want you, Alex," she whispered softly, wrapping her arms & legs around Alex's back & letting him fill the depths of her with absolute pleasure.

As his hips thrust against his beloved like a whip, back & forth with increasing vehemence, Alex stared at Angela's almost-heavenly body, delicately coated with a generous layer of sweat that mixed with his pheromones & created a pungent, though pleasing, aroma that tickled his nose as he sniffed her pale flesh like a little puppy. All the while, his hands were roaming around Angela, searching desperately for places to bless with his loving touch. Barely restraining her deep, aching moans, Angela tenderly placed her hand on her lover's, guiding him around her until his fingers brushed against her most sensitive spots, the ones that increased her pleasure with every gentle stroke.

For every hallowed sensation that Alex brought upon her, Angela wanted to return the favor; she rewarded his caresses with sensual massages, his penetrations with ecstatic cries, & his kisses with even more passionate ones of her own. All the while, she encouraged Alex to keep satisfying her; she begged so desperately for him to keep going. And Alex never stopped; he only became more determined to give Angela what she wanted.

Soon, the bed started rocking gently, ever so gently, with Alex & Angela's tender movements, as their blissful moans resonated richly through the moonlit night. Lost in the heat of passion, Alex continued to enter Angela with more gusto than before, but he also laid himself onto her as he did so; he wanted to feel the wonderful sensations as Angela could feel them. Burying his head in her bosom, he paid close attention to the frantic beating of her heart, the warm pulse flowing through her bloodstream, the rising & falling of her chest as she let out her ecstatic cries...

But wait—there was one thing he hadn't felt before. Moaning softly in satisfaction, Alex nestled his face closer to Angela's neck, kissing it tenderly as he deeply inhaled the beautiful fragrance of the flowers in the perfume that lazily drifted from her golden curls of hair. He loved that scent more than anything; whether Angela was holding him close or whether she was standing from afar, he could smell that delicious aroma just for a quick second, & instantly, all his troubles would disappear. The perfume's intoxicating fragrance was so comforting to him...if only he could inhale it all the time, & then the pain, all the horrid memories that he had kept inside for so long, would slowly vanish...

"Alex," he suddenly heard Angela moan, "please...don't...stop!" Smiling puckishly, Alex returned to what he had been doing, & as he cradled Angela's frail body in his little arms, he planted his mouth on her lips & everywhere below, cherishing every kiss like a beloved treasure. Then his mouth slowly trailed from her underbelly to her breasts, & once he had gently rubbed her nipples until they hardened, he tenderly began to suckle Angela like a baby hungry for its mother's milk. This only caused Angela's pleasure to escalate, & when he felt she had had enough, Alex's lips parted from her breasts, & moved once more to her mouth.

The kisses became more & more passionate, & the raging seas of lust continued to stir. Just as the two lovers were approaching their peaks, Alex rolled onto his side, taking Angela with him as he clutched her protectively in his arms. Alex didn't want this magic feeling to go away, & Angela felt the same; they both yearned to share the extreme intimacy, the blessed union that they were experiencing now, for a lifetime. But they knew deep in their hearts that the passion would have to end soon; as Angela began to reach climax, though, Alex had one last thing to say to her.

"Do you promise," he whispered in her ear, "to love me forever? Say that you will always cherish me until the end of time!"

"I will, Alex," Angela said between orgasmic shudders. "I promise to love you forever & ever..." No sooner had she spoken this than her hips began bucking & an aria of euphonious cries bubbled forth from her lips as her rich, velvety juices slowly poured from her insides. After Alex had thrust into Angela one last time & released himself with a satisfied groan, he collapsed onto the bed beside his sweetheart, tenderly caressing & kissing Angela as she lay in the sanctity of his warm embrace, whispering her name as though it were divine...& it was.

During this night, Angela had truly lived up to her moniker; through the act of lovemaking, she rescued him from the demons that had tortured him incessantly for many years. But Alex could not find a proper way to thank his beloved; in fact, no words were needed to describe the wonderful things she had done to him. All Alex could do to express his satisfaction was to kiss Angela once more & stroke her hair as he whispered words of love into her ear, before falling into the deep void of sweet slumber.


	6. Fallen Angel

**A SPARK OF GOOD**

Chapter 6:

Fallen Angel

_Angela woke up in a field of flowers speckled with morning dew, smiling as she felt the sun's rays warming her flesh. Her clothes had been taken off, & in the solitude of the quiet meadow, she enjoyed the feeling of the gentle breeze blowing delicately across her nude skin as she lounged in the lush green grass. Her long hair shimmered in the sunlight, flowing gracefully down her limber back like a golden waterfall. Angela sighed serenely as she lay on the ground & looked up at the pink clouds in the morning skies, before closing her eyes in ecstasy._

"_This meadow's just the place I needed to go to," she said blissfully to herself. "It's so peaceful & beautiful here...but where is my sweetheart Alex? I don't want to be all alone in this paradise...not without him..."_

_A purple butterfly fluttered onto Angela's stomach, tickling her as it landed & gently brushed its flapping wings against her belly. Angela giggled like a little child at this, but then suddenly stopped when she heard a rustling in the thicket. Angela became nervous, but whatever fears she had were immediately cast away when she saw a familiar face smiling at her from behind the grass his hands had just parted._

"_Angela, my sweet," the visitor greeted in a tender whisper as he walked towards the girl, "I'm here now."_

_Smiling warmly, Angela lowered her eyelids enticingly when she saw her lover removing his shirt & other clothes as he lay down beside his lover, cradling her head in one hand & caressing her face with the other. "I hope you didn't miss me too badly while I was gone, darling," Alex cooed into Angela's ear, licking the inside of it ever so sensually._

_Angela couldn't help but shudder at the warm shivers the gesture sent through her body. She laid her head on Alex's bare chest, nuzzling his neck & face as her fingers danced delicately across his skin. "I did enjoy the solitude," she whispered softly, "but I didn't want to be alone for too long. I missed you so very much."_

_Alex stared into Angela's eyes with a sweet, yet seductive, smile. "Well, you won't have to miss me anymore," he crooned, laying his hand on Angela's stomach. Butterflies danced in the girl's belly, just like the one that had flown onto it & tickled it before. A strange sound of pleasure, a blend of delighted giggles & high-pitched shudders, escaped from Angela's lips, which were warmed by the feeling of Alex's mouth pressing against hers as his hands worked their way across her body._

_There it came again, that fire of powerful passion that blazed through her nerves every time he did it. He was kissing her again with tender lips, filling every inch of her with a deep, soothing sensation as his hands roamed her figure with a loving possessiveness. She moaned softly as he grinded his hips against her, gently touching her sacred flesh & making her feel so good inside. "Don't you like this, Angela?" he whispered, kissing her neck & collarbone as he caressed her hair. "Don't you want me to give you what you desire?"_

"_Yes, Alex," Angela groaned, letting his fingers float towards the spot between her legs & touch it. "Please, darling...ravish me..."_

_The next few hours were so blissful & beautiful; Angela & Alex must have been in heaven during the whole time they made love to one another. And when they finally finished & flopped down to the ground in an exhausted heap, they never left each other's side. They lay together in a tender, passionate embrace for what seemed like another small eternity...& then, at the least expected moment, something amazing began to happen._

"_Something's in my tummy," Angela mused, noticing how big her stomach had gotten in the span of what may have been months. __"Mais je me demande ce que ce pourrait être. I__ wonder what it could be__..."_

_Alex put his ear & hand to the swollen flesh, & after a few moments, his face lit up with the biggest smile of joy he had ever put on. "It's a baby," he whispered with a mixture of pleasant surprise & childlike awe. "I feel it kicking around inside...oh, Angela, this is so wonderful! We're going to have our very own baby!"_

_For a moment, Angela was too stunned to speak. Then her eyes flooded with happy tears. "Oh, Alex," she wept as she tenderly embraced her lover, "I don't know how to thank you for bringing such bliss into my life! I can't wait for our baby to be born..." A thought suddenly struck Angela. "What will she look like?" she wondered aloud._

"_I'm sure she'll have her mommy's hair," Alex replied with a tender smile, "& her daddy's bright, blue eyes."_

"_I do hope so," Angela said with a dreamy smile, laying her head on Alex's chest once more as her boyfriend tenderly wrapped his arms around her. "But will we make very good parents?" she asked as an afterthought, a little anxious. "Can we even care for a baby?"_

"_Angela, darling," Alex assured his sweetheart, "I'm sure that Mum & Dad can help us take care of her. Our baby will grow up to be happy & healthy, & everything will go marvelously in our lives while we're together." He gave her shoulders a comforting squeeze, & tenderly patted the round flesh with the unborn infant inside it. "It's going to be so wonderful, Angela. Just wait & see."_

_It wasn't long (or it didn't seem like much time had passed) before Angela began going into labor. The delivery was not without pain, but as Angela pushed to bring her baby into the world, Alex comforted her & did his best to ease her agony. Finally, the baby came into the world of sunlight, kicking her tiny little feet as she made her first cries._

_Alex cleaned the baby up with fresh spring water from a cool, crystal lake, & then delicately handed the mewling infant to Angela, who cradled her gingerly in her arms as she smiled with shining eyes at the fruit of her womb. "She's beautiful," Angela whispered reverently, gently stroking her baby's soft head with fine blonde hair. "She looks just like her mommy & daddy, Alex..."_

_The baby's crying softened & her wiggling ceased as she turned to look up at Angela with big blue eyes. "Hello, there," Angela cooed, tickling & nuzzling the baby on the nose. "Bonjour, mon petite__ bébé__!" Angela smothered her bundle of joy with kisses & tender caresses as she tickled the soles of her feet. "I'm your mommy," Angela whispered sweetly, her warm breath blowing softly into the baby's ear like a summer breeze. "And this is your daddy," she added, passing the infant over to Alex._

_Alex's eyes flooded with joyful tears as he gazed fondly at the gurgling baby he was holding. "Welcome to the world...my little Rose," Alex said to his daughter, kissing her forehead lovingly & clasping her to his chest. He savored the feeling of the tiny girl in his arms & the sound of her adorable coos, & when he finally handed Rose back to Angela, the two lovers were overcome with ecstasy & sweetness when they watched their precious infant giggle & smile for the first time._

_

* * *

_

"Oh, Rose, my beautiful baby," Angela murmured gently as she tossed & turned in her sleep, "I'm so glad you're here with me & Daddy..." Finally, she awoke in Alex's bed, a mixture of many different emotions—all so sweet & wonderful—coursing through her. When Angela realized that she was no longer in a pastoral meadow & her _bébé _was absent from her embrace, her heart sank in disappointment...but then she was once again filled with hope for the future as she saw Alex lying under the covers, muttering Angela's name in his slumber. Angela reached to gently stroke her lover's hair, & he quickly went back to sleep.

Angela couldn't help but smile when she saw this. _How like a child he looks,_ she thought to herself. _So tender & innocent...even all those horrible things Deltoid did to him couldn't take away his purity._ She sighed gently as she thought of Alex, lying back onto the bed & staring dreamily up at the ceiling. _Oh, Alex...comment je prie un jour pour devenir votre femme. __I hope that someday I'll marry you in an elaborate ceremony, that I'll make love to you again on our wedding night...that we'll have beautiful babies, & that we'll share a wonderful life together with our family._ She turned her gaze once more at the sleeping Alex, smiling warmly. _I'm sure you would make a wonderful father._

Angela then let her eyes flutter closed, but before she could sink into sleep, a loud scratching sound startled her. Treading lightly so as not to wake Alex, Angela tiptoed over to the window, where the noise was coming from. She slid open the pane...& nearly let out a shriek of terror when she saw a pair of camouflage-clad teenagers reaching for her. Angela tried to get away, but she was quickly caught, blindfolded & gagged with a pair of scarves, pulled out of the window, & lowered to the ground by the thugs.

"Make sure you restrain the little bitch as best as you can," commanded a goon with a scar across his eye. "We don't want her trying to escape!"

Angela emitted a muffled gasp of terror. She recognized that voice. It belonged to Ira, an older boy she once knew...& a dangerous delinquent that was often wanted by the police for committing violent acts.

The notion of Ira—of _any_ of the boys—inflicting harm upon her only frightened Angela more, & she began blindly kicking & struggling to try & get away. Ira cruelly slapped Angela to silence her, & the girl dared not utter another peep, even as she was thrown to the ground & dragged along like a rag-baby. Angela shivered violently with cold as the powdery, rain-soaked snow stung her naked skin, & her whole body felt completely frozen during the entire trip...until she felt a draft of warm air harshly blowing upon her as Ira & the other three thugs stopped at the entrance to a large building on the other side of town. She could not see it, but she knew the boys had taken her to their destination when she heard Ira's next words, delivered with a chilling coldness...

"We're here."

* * *

_Alex's eyes snapped open, & the boy looked around in a panic for any sign of life. There was none to be found. Immediately, Alex became frightened, & dashed madly down the blood-saturated streets, fearfully glancing at the empty, demolished buildings & the haunting scarlet skies. Finally, he made it to the safety of his family's flat building...but the lobby was deathly silent._

"_Mum? Dad?" Alex asked in a timid voice as he anxiously walked up the creaking stairs to the rooms above. "Angela? Anyone?"_

_He knocked on the front door, but there was no answer. When Alex had put his key into the hole under the knob, the door swung open with an eerie creak. The living room, kitchen, & all the other chambers were void of any soul or sound. Alex was now completely petrified with fear, but he managed to move his feet & tiptoe through the hallway, peeking in any room to make sure it wasn't empty. To his relief, he saw a figure lying under the covers in his bed—at least __some__ sign of life!_

_With a nervous gulp, Alex crept cautiously over to the bed, reaching a hand to pull back the blankets. Then he saw who the sleeping figure was...& to his horror, she __wasn't__ sleeping._

"_Angela!" Alex shrieked, tears suddenly falling down his face. "Oh, God..." He sank to his knees at the girl's side, frenzily kissing & holding his lover's cold hand in his as he tried desperately to resurrect her. "Please wake up, Angela!" Alex begged. "Please wake up!" When she didn't, Alex collapsed in grief onto the bed, sobbing over his loss as he hysterically screamed Angela's name again & again. He must have drowned in his misery for what seemed like ages, but then his crying suddenly ended as he felt a gloved hand gripping his throat tightly...& a switchblade knife being pressed hard against his quivering skin._

_Alex's heart nearly stopped when he saw who was holding him hostage. "Billyboy," he whispered in shock. "W-What are you doing here?"_

"_Oh, nothing," the gang leader said sarcastically. "Just wanted to pop on by for a nice afternoon visit. I do hope you have your tea & crumpets ready, 'cause I'm sure hungry after spending a good hour 'talking' with Angela." His dark eyes twinkled evilly as his smile became cold & callous._

_When everything hit him, Alex shook his head furiously in denial. "No...you didn't!" Alex gurgled as the knife made a slit across his throat & then pierced his heart; he sprawled to the floor, gasping for breath as Billyboy's fiendish laughter echoed in Alex's ears. Just as everything went black, Alex thought he saw Angela's ghostly figure gazing at him with pleading eyes._

"_Alex," she cried faintly, "help me..."_

_But he couldn't. His thread of life had been cut._

_

* * *

_

Alex woke up in a panic, as he felt a torrent of cold sweat soaking his naked body. When he had caught his breath & taken a look at his surroundings, he settled back into bed, thankful that he was alive. Then he just remembered who he had found dead in his dream. "Angela?" Alex asked, checking to see if she was all right. There was no reply, not even a gentle sigh of breath. "Angela?" Alex asked again timidly as he reached for the covers & pulled them back. The only things he could see underneath were a pillow, sheets, & a stuffed bunny.

"No!" Alex gasped, shaking his head in a shocked frenzy as he had in his dream. "She can't be missing! Perhaps she's elsewhere in the house."

Alex quickly put on some underclothes, pajamas, & a robe, & he scurried through every part of the flat to check. When his search for Angela proved to be in vain, Alex muttered frantically to himself. "Where could she have gone?" he pondered. "Where could she have possibly—" Then he felt the cold winter wind blow into his room, & Alex's eyes stared in horror at the open window, its curtains fluttering in the breeze...

* * *

"Georgie!" Alex called out in desperation as he ran through the chilly streets, trying not to stumble in the snow. "Georgie, help!" When he got to his best friend's front door, Alex knocked & shouted Georgie's name as loudly as he could. Fortunately, he answered the door as quickly as he could.

"What's going on?" Georgie asked, putting his robe over his nightclothes.

"Angela's gone," Alex answered breathlessly. "There's no time to explain, but we need to get Pete & Dim this instant! And we have to hurry; who knows what could happen to her if we don't get to her soon enough?!"

The moment Pete had been awakened & ushered out of his house, Alex & Georgie rushed with him to the rundown flatblock where Dim lived. The boys knocked & called out their friend's name; luckily, Dim was a light sleeper, & it wasn't long before he had come downstairs to meet with the boys, dressed in his bunny pajamas & matching slippers.

"What is it, droogs?" Dim asked sleepily, stifling a drowsy yawn. "I was just having the loveliest sneets in my zasnoot...& I remember," he added with a dreamy smile, "that one of them had nothin' but cheese & candy...all I could ever eat, yeah..."

"Wake up, you gloopy slug!" Georgie snapped, slapping Dim across the face until he was finally awake. "Angela's missing! We need to find her!"

"But where could she have gone?" Pete asked, the thought having just occurred to him. Alex got on his knees & scrutinized the snow-covered ground, until finally he cried out in enlightenment. "Let's follow those tracks!" he said. "I'm sure they'll lead us right to her!"

"Don't worry, Angie," Pete cried heroically as he put on his beret & followed the others, "we're coming to save you!"

* * *

Angela struggled for breath as the gag was finally peeled away from her mouth, but once her blindfold was removed, she quickly emitted a gasp of terror as she glanced at her surroundings, adorned with old stage props, tattered curtains, & all sorts of rubble. Angela immediately became frightened for her life—she thought she would never have to relive those horrible moments again, & yet here she was, right in the lair of...

"Well, well, well," snarled a gruff voice tinged with bitter sarcasm, "look who's come to visit me on this lovely evening!"

Though she tried so hard to keep calm, Angela instantly started crying as she glanced into the wild-eyed, leering face of a familiar figure, adorned with stubble & unkempt black hair that certainly matched his moods as he knelt towards Angela & grabbed her tightly by the chin with his gloved hand.

"So," Billyboy whispered angrily into Angela's ear, "you think you can escape me & get away with it? You think you can get all cozy with my archenemy Alex & not even remember what I've done for you, you ungrateful little bitch?!"

"Don't call me that!" Angela screamed tearfully in anger. She let out a scream of pain as Billyboy gave his response with a hard slap across her pretty face, but kept quiet as he lay on top of her, placing a knife to her quivering throat.

"You listen here, you fucking slut," Billyboy growled as he glided the blade ever so gently over his captive's pale skin, "I'm the one who took care of you when your parents were killed. I fed you, I clothed you, I gave you a place to sleep in—& all I wanted in return was a little sex...But _NO!_ You didn't want me to touch you, did you? You had to run away, didn't you? You had to fall in love with that bastard Alex & let him turn you against me! And this is how you repay me for my kindness?!"

The moment she heard this, Angela's eyes blazed with fury, & her voice dropped to an angry whisper as she said, "You never showed me any kindness, Billyboy—you only brought misery upon me! You took away everything I had, my parents, my home, my childhood...& you didn't even spare the one thing I wanted to give up when the time was right for me..." Now showing an audacity she never had before, Angela leaned in closer to Billyboy's face, glaring defiantly as she snarled, "You've destroyed all that I've held dear...I can never forgive you for that, you hideous monster."

Almost immediately, Billyboy's countenance bore a mixture of astonishment & rage. "You're saying I'm not good enough for you?" he yelled, as his rising voice became more & more menacing in tone. "You're trying to tell me that you'd rather fuck that son of a bitch Alex, when you know I've done everything in my power to take care of you after I killed your parents?!"

Blind with anger, Billyboy took a swipe at Angela, but the girl dodged out of the way & started to make a run for it. One of the goons tripped her, however, & she fell headfirst onto an old mattress—the very one her mother had spent her last few terrifying, degrading moments upon. Before Angela could try to escape again, Billyboy pinned her down, digging his long nails painfully into the girl's flesh as she let out agonized sobs.

"That's just like you," the gang leader growled with a licentious leer, "to spread your legs for the next pretty boy that comes your way. You're a slut, Angela, & there's no use in denying that!"

Angela tried desperately to fight back, but Billyboy only increased his pressure on her frail frame, & soon began ramming his hips against hers. Not even making an effort to hush, Angela began crying even more as her captor started fondling her nude body & kissing her ravenously in places that had once been blessed with a most sacred touch.

"You like it, don't you, Angela?" Billyboy asked, his gruff voice saturated with unholy desire as his gloved hands roamed her flesh shamelessly. "Doesn't it feel good? I'm sure it does..." He turned Angela over & grabbed her breasts as his coarse, malodorous mouth planted wet, lustful kisses in every spot he could find. With each liplock, Billyboy's filthy claws slowly moved down to an area he had tainted so many times before...the place that had just been sanctified by the one man Angela truly loved...

"No," Angela begged, as her tears continued to fall down her cheeks like the rain that had begun pouring outside. "Please...you musn't..." When she felt her captor's fingers probing her insides mercilessly, Angela tried to make him stop, but Billyboy refused, as he commanded his thugs to tie the girl to the bed. Once he had unfastened his trousers & straddled his frightened prisoner, the cold-hearted knave resumed wantonly kissing & touching her again as he painfully entered her.

With every penetration, every dirty word whispered into her ear, every unholy sensation that was brought upon her, Angela became more & more distressed, & agonized moans emitted from her mouth as she tried to keep them from escalating into screams. Unbeknownst to her or her rapist, however, Alex, Pete, Georgie, & Dim were watching every single thing that was happening from their hiding place behind a tattered curtain, with their faces frozen in terror.

Though the others were told by Alex not to make a move until they had formulated a good rescue plan, their leader now wished he had never given that command; the sight of Angela being tortured & assaulted in such a horrific manner made his heart sick, & shivers ran up & down his spine while his lover began screaming in pain. His blood boiled, though, when Billyboy had satisfied himself at the expense of poor Angela, adjusted his clothes...& spat in her pretty, tear-stained face.

"You think you've suffered enough, you dirty bitch?" Billyboy said, as his face sported a look of insidious glee at what he had done. When Angela, bruised & battered from her rape, nodded her head in reply, her captor cracked a most evil smile. "Well, you haven't _truly _suffered until I've put a knife into you...just like I did to your dear old parents after I raped your mum!"

Alex & his friends literally had no time to come to Angela's rescue, as the next few moments flashed by like the lightning that illuminated the stormy night skies. The second Billyboy had opened his switchblade knife, he reared back & plunged it into Angela's chest; a powerful, piercing shriek emerged from her tiny lips as the dagger was pushed further & further into her heart. When a maniacally-laughing Billyboy had plucked his deadly weapon out of his victim & taken off with his cronies, Angela was left alone on the old mattress, mirroring her mother's brutal fate.

Alex let out a pained scream as he rushed over to the spot where his dying lover lay, cradling her in his arms as he kissed & caressed her with the passion he had shown her just a few hours before. When Alex's friends had gathered at their leader's side, Dim could barely keep himself from bawling, as Georgie tried to comfort a mournful Pete, who clutched his hat to his chest.

"Angela," Alex wept as his tears fell, "please don't leave me! I can't live without you by my side!"

Even though the color was quickly fading from her once-blue eyes & blood was gushing from her fatal wound, Angela was determined to hang on until the last minute. Stroking Alex's damp face & placing a supportive hand on his, she smiled weakly & whispered with her usual gentleness, "Alex, darling...you will never be alone. For I shall always be with you...& I love you more than anything in the world."

With that, Alex gently leaned in closer to Angela's ever-paling face, & closed his eyes as he tenderly placed his lips on hers. How he lingered in this wonderful kiss! His fingers gently intertwined with Angela's dainty hand, & he savored the beautiful aroma of the perfume in her hair as his lips & tongue danced delicately with his lover's, as they had done not too long ago. Oh, how Alex wished that his sweet kiss could revive Angela, could return her to the wonderful life she was to live with him...he hoped this would be a horrible dream, & hoped even more that he would wake up to see Angela lying in the warmth of his embrace.

Alas, the nightmare was all too real; when Angela's lips slowly parted from Alex's, she lay her head back, whispered her final "goodbye", & closed her eyes one last time...but she would never awaken from her slumber now. When the reality of this tragedy hit him, fresh tears poured from Alex's eyes as he grabbed Angela in his arms once more & pressed her limp body against his bosom, hoping that the beat of his heart could start hers again. But it was a vain aspiration, indeed—she was an angel now, gone to join the others in Heaven, & who knew how long it would be before Alex would lay eyes upon her again?

_She's gone,_ Alex thought bitterly to himself, as his three friends tried desperately to comfort him. _My beloved Angela, gone forever..._


	7. The Fall From Grace

**A SPARK OF GOOD**

Chapter 7:

The Fall From Grace

Sheila & Philip were indeed heartbroken when they learned of Angela's dreadful fate, & yet they could understand why their son did not want to give his beloved friend a funeral. He had said "goodbye" to her once; to do it again would only make his pain worse. Feeling guilty about his decision, though, Alex reconsidered, & the next morning, he gathered with his three friends in a small plot just outside the cemetery—the very spot where the bodies of Angela's parents had been buried a year ago. _Now Angela can be with her family again, _Alex thought sorrowfully as everyone prepared for the makeshift funeral service.

Once Georgie & Dim had gathered at Alex's side, Pete took off his beret in a gesture of respect, & then strode up to a tiny pulpit as he stared at his friends with sad eyes. "Dearly beloved," he began solemnly, "we're here to give our final farewells to a dear friend who has done so much to touch the lives of the people she loved..."

When the eulogies had been spoken & Pete had capped off the service with a heartrending rendition of "_Amazing Grace_", the four boys went up to the coffin to tell Angela their last "goodbyes". Her corpse had been cleansed of the blood & neatly dressed in her favorite white ensemble, & her peaceful smile remained on her pretty face. How content she looked, almost as though she were only taking a spring nap; much like in the placid dazes she went through so often, all that plagued her wounded heart was gone...

But this fact did not comfort Alex. He stayed at the coffin for what seemed like forever, sobbing hysterically as he contemplated the loss of his dearest Angela. Even in death, her hair smelled so sweet & her tiny hand felt so delicate & smooth in his own...he still couldn't bear to accept the fact that she was gone, & yet, how could he? She looked so very much alive, & how he wished that her eyes would open once again. Alex wanted so badly to hold Angela in his arms as he had done before, to kiss all her tears & fears away, to make beautiful love to her...to spend every moment of his life with her...

As the tears continued to pour from his eyes, Alex planted a tender "farewell" kiss on Angela's cold lips, & after he had gently undone her silver cross necklace, he clasped it fondly in his hand as he broke away from his dearest darling with reluctance, & then went to join his friends. Together, they gingerly placed Angela's closed coffin into the hole they had dug for it, & covered it with fresh dirt, before going over to look at the tiny shrine, protected from the elements by a big pink umbrella, that had been built for her that morning.

The tiny flames of candles, with the same lavender scent as the perfume Angela loved to splash upon her radiant hair, danced in their little containers underneath the tombstone of white marble (oh, how Alex remembered that his sweet Angela loved that color!). The grave marker was surrounded by her favorite things—pretty flowers, all sorts of toys & games, stuffed baby animals...& all the birthday & Christmas presents she had received last year. In a heart-shaped frame in the middle of the stone, there was the photo of her that Alex had taken on that winter afternoon, placed underneath an elegant script engraving:

REST IN PEACE  
ANGELA RODELAIRE-WESTBROOK  
APRIL 1977—JANUARY 1990

Underneath the photo of Angela's smiling face, a small poem had been delicately carved into the marble:

_She was a girl with flaxen locks & eyes of crystal blue  
__Who tried so hard to overcome the hell she had gone through  
__Of everyone she cared for, there was one that won her heart  
__And even though death separates them, they shall never truly part_

Alex dried his eyes for a moment, & then gently draped his darling's cross necklace over the stuffed bunny, the button-nosed replica of sweet Angela, that he had made for her on her birthday. The rain began to fall once more, but this time, Angela would not be there to rush into Alex's comforting embrace. "I always used to wonder," Dim said as he dabbed at his moist eyes, "why it rains at funerals. Mummy always told me it's because the angels are crying..."

_The angels are weeping hard today, _Alex thought sadly as he continued to sob. _And Angela is among them, shedding her own little tears...how she must miss me..._

_

* * *

_

For the rest of the day, Alex & his friends stayed at the grave, but when night came & they finally had to return home, Pete, Georgie, & Dim decided to remain with Alex for a while. (He would definitely need the company & the comfort, after all.) The other boys were welcomed once more into the DeLarges' home, but the kindly faces Sheila & Philip had kept on soon fell when they realized what they were serving them for dinner.

"Chicken soup," Sheila murmured in recognition, before bursting into fresh tears as Philip embraced her & tried to comfort his grieving wife. "That's the exact thing I gave to Angela when we...we..." The rest of her words were drowned out by her mournful sobs, & even Philip began to cry, too. The two were startled, & yet not surprised, to see their son quickly rising from his chair & heading for his bedroom, as his friends followed him. The moment Alex shut the door, he flopped onto his bed & cried.

"This is all my fault," the boy wept, as his friends tried vainly to console him. "I should never have taken her in! She would have died anyway!"

"Alex," Pete said, "you musn't talk in such a manner! Angela had been robbed of everything she ever loved, & you brought meaning back into her life! You were her saving grace, Alex, just as she was your angel!"

Ignoring his friends' words of assurance, Alex began tremoring & clutching at his forehead. The world began to spin, & his brain began throbbing with an uncontrollable pain. "Get out of my gulliver," Alex growled, clawing at his hair & then throwing punches at everything in his path as he tried to fight the demons that had come back to haunt him. "You monsters, you horrible monsters...go away! Leave me alone!"

"What are you talking about, Alex?" Dim asked, as his countenance became fearful. "I don't viddy any monsters here..."

"Don't hurt me!" Alex screeched in blind rage, smashing his looking-glass with his fist. "I won't become like you! I won't become like you..." When his ears perked up to the sound of his mirror shattering, Alex snapped out of his private hell & then looked down at the blood that was seeping from his cut hand. He quickly put his mouth to his injury, hoping to nurse the wound, & the crimson fluid stained his teeth, his tongue, his lips...the very lips Angela had kissed during their dance of passion the night before...

The sweet sensations from that wonderful evening slowly rushed upon Alex, as he savored the blood the way he had with his sweetheart's naked flesh. "Tastes good," he murmured, giggling demoniacally as he frenzily ripped off his clothes & curled up in a ball on the floor, stroking himself. "Come on, Angela, baby...let Uncle Alex touch you..." Passionate grunts & groans escaped from his mouth with each caress he planted upon himself. "You like it, don't you, baby? Tell me it feels good..."

Now the other boys were completely frightened by what was happening to their friend. "Go get Mrs. DeLarge," Georgie commanded Dim & Pete. "Hurry, before Alex hurts himself!" When the two had rushed to summon Sheila, Georgie struggled to keep Alex under control; nevertheless, the lad continued to thrash & thrust in his licentious fury, attacking his friend with harsh swipes. When Alex had released himself, he began to giggle devilishly as he muttered all sorts of insidious ramblings.

"Oh, Alex," Georgie lamented with a sorrowful shake of his head, "what's happened to you?"

* * *

Luckily, Dim & Pete had managed to lead Sheila to her son before things got any worse, & immediately, they called an ambulance. The worry-stricken DeLarge parents were in the hospital's waiting room, signing entry papers for their son at the reception desk. Alex, meanwhile, was given a quick check-up; physically, he was all right, but it would take a psychiatrist to figure out what had gone wrong with his troubled mind. Dim & Pete, seeking comfort, went back into the waiting room to be with Sheila & Philip; Georgie, however, stayed behind with Alex to see the horrible transformation he was going through. 

Alex stared at his childhood friend with a cold, eerie grin. "Come with me, droogie," he whispered, as his piercing blue eyes locked with Georgie's in a hypnotic stare. "Come with me to the side of darkness...there is no pain there, no agony...we can be happy there, brother...so happy..."

"Are you mad, Alex!?" Georgie blurted in shock. "What would Angela think of that?"

"Without Angela," Alex replied, "there is no reason to be good...my angel's fallen, & the demons have come...they've already gotten me, Georgie! I might as well take you down with me..."

Georgie was about to protest, but then the door opened & the psychiatrist shuffled in; the lad exited to give his friend some privacy, & even as he helped himself to some treats from the hospital's vending machine, his mind raced with worrisome thoughts over what would become of Alex, the pal he had cared for ever since they were tots. _Will everything be the way it was before? _he thought, then reconsidered. _Nothing's going to be like before...that I am sure of._

_

* * *

_

Shortly after his collapse into darkness on that rainy evening, Alex DeLarge fully succumbed to antisocial personality disorder at the tender age of 13. His golden heart turned black, he abandoned the empathy & emotions he'd had for so long, & his soul was consumed by evil that only devoured him further with each day. Alex began to lie & cheat constantly, & one of the many recurring difficulties he came to have with the law was to hurt poor, innocent people with various, meaningless acts of "ultraviolence" & "the old in-out, in-out", & yet, he had no remorse for the transgressions he committed against his victims. In fact, Alex completely _disregarded_ the pain & anguish they earned at his expense, & even more so about their safety.

Of course, Alex also became increasingly violent & aggressive, yet he managed to fool unsuspecting folks with his superficial wit & charm. It was this very magnetism, this callous charisma, that lured his droogs over to the side of darkness. Maintaining a sense of extreme entitlement & authority, Alex became the leader of his gang &, consequently, one of England's most dangerous teenage delinquents.

5 years after Angela's tragic death & her lover's horrible transformation into a warped soul, we see an 18-year-old Alex helping himself to some milkplus at the Korova Milkbar, with his three droogs lounging beside him. Of course, we all know what happens afterwards—but now, friends & dearest readers, you are aware of our cherished teen rebel's troubled past...the very series of unfortunate events that made him who he is today.


End file.
